Circling Skies
by TwiVersed
Summary: Due to a threat on his family of vampires, Edward has joined Aro's Guard and is given a mission to recruit newborn vampire, Isabella Swan, for membership. With her shield in tact, she will not go down without a fight. What happens when he finds her and she is not all he thought she was? Will he risk his own life, and the life of his family, to save hers? Rated M for a reason.
1. Standing Alone

**So this story was saved on my computer from a LONG time ago and it has been swimming through my head for some time now. I thought it deserved to actually be finished. So, here we go!**

 **Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, along with its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

Eyes transfixed on the wall in front of me, I studied its delicate details. The grooves traveling down to the floor, the coarse gray color, the darkened splotch of red.

A stain.

That particular stain always reminded me of what I am. What I have _become_.

One of them.

 _No._ A captive. A prisoner in my own mind set.

The careful strumming of lithe fingers called to my ears and my head instinctively moved to the right, closer to the sound.

"Shall we begin without him, Aro?" Marcus inquired of Aro in his monotonous voice. It was irksome…yet deadly.

"Have patience, my good brother." Aro's voice was foreboding in its passivity. A bullet in a disarmed gun. Always there, always threatening.

"Good things come to those who wait." His ghastly fingers trailed over the arm of his chair, "Isn't that right, Edward." I nodded once in reply, my gaze never leaving the wall. My responses were always customarily given by a curt nod, twist of the mouth. They deserved nothing else.

Demetri's form was made apparent as he stalked through the doorway, a look of disconcerting exhilaration lit about his face. Repulsive _._

"Excuse my belatedness, Masters," my insides curled at the sickening term of respect, "I had business of the utmost… _importance_ to attend to." His mouth twisted into an abominably menacing sneer as he turned his dark red eyes on my golden ones, his white teeth showing in a dangerously pointed demonstration, his mind reeling with his recent kill. A woman – young.

I had refused to take the lives of innocent humans long before I was recruited to this life. It was a mystery to all, but the questions were adjourned given the fact that I was the son of the esteemed Carlisle Cullen and his clan of "vegetarians".

My eyes glazed over at the thought of my coven. My simulated family.

How I missed them. I had barely spoken to them for over two years. They knew not of the appalling deal I had been forced to make with the Volturi, only of my peculiar decision to join the foul clan of my "own will", when in reality, it was against.

Aro was notorious for attempting to suck me into this void due to my mind reading abilities. I had always cordially declined, which he was content with.

For a while.

We had discreetly come to the agreement that I would join him and his family, in return for the spared lives of mine. I had never considered the fact that he would put Carlisle's loved ones to harm, given their close liaison, but I had quickly realized that his alliance with Carlisle was great, but his desire for power was greater. Power through the expansion of his vast empire in Volterra, Italy was the only thing in his sight now.

And power he would get.

"I have a new mission for the two of you. One that will both strengthen…and weaken."

My gaze snapped to that of Marcus who had been studying my apparent lack of concentration. He snorted and turned his attention back to Aro, as did I.

 _Yes. Strengthen and weaken, indeed_. Aro's jovial thoughts rang true with his next statement.

"The girl is of a peculiar case. She has a shield, so neither of you will be able to track her down."

" _A shield?"_ Caius questioned in shock. Aro nodded his head, clapping his hands together twice in excitement.

"How will this strengthen and weaken us?"

I refrained from rolling my eyes at Demetri's imbecile question. It was quite obvious.

"Weaken in the obvious sense; strengthen in the sense that you may not be able to track the girl. It will, hopefully, sharpen your other skills."

Demetri's eyes widened at the last part. "How do you expect us to find her if we cannot track, nor hear her thoughts?"

Aro shrugged, nonchalantly, "You will find a way."

"This girl…" Countless heads snapped in my direction. It was seen as the norm that I never speak unless spoken to. I used it as a small sign of disrespect.

"This girl," I continued, impassive towards the several others watching and listening. I was, of course, used to listening in to _other's_ conversations. Why should I be moved when they listen to mine?

"She has a name?" My inquiry came out in a goaded tone, as do many of my conversations.

A smile appeared on the withered face of Aro, stretching the skin of his face until it seemed translucent.

"Isabella Marie Swan."

 **First chapter. Moment of truth. Good, bad, tolerable? Reviews greatly appreciated :)**


	2. Grounded

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

Two small vials were dropped onto the bed on which I was sitting.

I looked up and saw Demetri standing in the doorway to my room, needle in hand. He smirked, and then put it in its case in his pocket. "You hold onto those. Do _not_ lose them, or there will be no point to this," he tapped the needle in his pocket and gave me a grave look.

"Then try not to lose _that_ , or there will be no point to _these_." I hissed in reply, shaking the two bottles towards the brute.

The needle, along with the liquid, was used to sedate vampires until we could get them back to the headquarters. The tranquilizer had been manufactured by one of the many guards on the force.

Tested and proven to work, the fluid, laced with pure werewolf blood, stopped the flow of venom to the brain, effectively slowing the body down until it fell to an unconscious state.

Though helpful in containing captives, it was also extremely lethal. One – tenth of an ounce overdose could render a vampire inert for extensive periods of time. Never dying, but never again being quite…animate, if that was the best way to describe our condition of living.

I sighed, staring down at the two vials. I was sure Emmett would have had great fun testing these out. Emmett had always been one for venture, no matter how reckless and treacherous it was.

With one last shake to the liquid, I shoved the decadent bottles into the pocket of my black overcoat and left the room without a glance back. I had already memorized every centimeter of the area, spending most of my spare time either in there or out on the run.

Of course, not running to escape.

I had never given escaping much thought. It's not like I really could. What with the ominous threat hanging over my head, there really was no point to it.

 _Cullen, let's go! I'd like to leave before the sun breaks the sky!_

I groaned internally at Demetri's inner voice, finding it hard to distract myself from it. Mind reading had quickly become both a burden and a gift.

I watched the surrounding passengers with jealousy; they were all equipped with headphones, all sounds cut off from their trivial minds. How I wished it were as effortless for me. To have a simple pair of headphones, plastic and fabricated to precision. To be able to block out all sounds…all the thoughts lodged in my head, assaulting my privacy, along with theirs.

Human minds were of no value to me. They were either crowded with abhorrence and insolence, or self-hatred. Usually a mixture of the two.

" _Flight 182 will now be landing in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Please secure your seat belts and be ready for landing."_

The affirmation of the flight attendant won over my thoughts. The route was already planned. Land in Prince George, drive south towards Red Rock where the vampire of interest had last been spotted.

With a reluctant sigh, I looked around the small cabin for any sign of life. The small community began fussing with their belts, the anxious thoughts crawling across my jaded mind. Flying was the norm when you worked with the Volturi. We had once taken private air crafts, but they ended up causing more attention towards the types of vampires we brought in.

Of course, now that we were flying commercial, we would have to find a round-about way to get back into Italy. Loading a sadistic vampire on an airplane would _not_ be the best decision in remaining secluded from the human eye.

My head turned towards Demetri lazily, about to question how we were to find our captive, when a pair of dark blue eyes caught mine, mid-turn.

Her inane, repulsive thoughts bombarded my mind as her eyes flashed with open want, the blood coursing through her body with her arousal. My eyes darkened infinitely as the venom pooled my mouth in blood lust. Quickly, I swallowed it down, shielding my eyes from the sight of her carotid artery, pulsing a swift rhythm in its light blue hue.

This was the hardest part of being a vampire. Not the fact that we could never go in sunlight with people around. Not the fact that our skin was granite and ice cold. It was the infinite, insatiable, blinding thirst that took over our body; the monster attempting to claw its way out for a feast.

I could hear it in her thoughts. The unspoken decision to try to make small talk with me. Thankfully, her body naturally shielded her from the unknown danger, instilling fear throughout her veins. She, however, mistook the fear for nerves, and I was frightened by what would happen if she happened to bypass her body's innate reaction.

I inhaled the scent of her saccharine blood, my throat burning with the tease. I hadn't hunted in nearly two weeks.

Two seconds.

That's all it would take for me to snap every single head on this plane. Including Demetri. I would have to take him first before he gained the strength to stop me. Obviously, I would have to escape with the girl before I could drain her. Demetri would be able to relocate his bodily parts and attach them before I could successfully deplete her entire body. My mind slowly trickled into various places I could take her; somewhere secluded. A dark alley. A deserted parking lot. An abandoned –

 _Just kill the girl already. It's about time you lived up to what we were created to do._

Demetri's thoughts had the opposite effect on me than he had planned. They snapped me from my horrid thoughts, the monster yanked back into hiding. I halted my breathing as the plane came to a safe landing on the runway. I had gone too long without a hunt – my thirst was borderline overwhelming.

My gaze turned towards Demetri, hateful and vicious. I could not take the chances of him killing an innocent human. It would be just like him to do so in my path. To make me suffer.

Thoughts of Demetri's death swirled back into my mind, this time with more precision, as I unbuckled and gathered my bags in a programmed way – just going through the motions. He was one of the greatest assets to the Guard – a tracker, able to pinpoint the location of anyone at any time.

I wondered, briefly, how the Volturi would function if I managed to tear his from his body.

 **Demetri always creeped me out…**

 **Thanks for reading and thank you .mar for the review! I hope this chapter was just as interesting! The next chapter will be up tomorrow :)**


	3. No Turning Back

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

The thicket of green rushed by in a blur, the sky a constant, shielded gray.

It was helpful. The cover of clouds and trees, though not entirely necessary. The black car I had "borrowed" from the airport parking lot had darkly tinted windows and was incredibly fast. Demetri had scratched the original license plate and replaced it with one of the hundreds of fabricated plates the Volturi seemed to keep around. The car reminded me of my Aston Martin – a car I was surely never going to drive again. Perhaps I would tell Rosalie that she could have it. It had always been her dream.

As I sped down the damp roads towards Red Rock, Demetri was busy filling the syringe with the vindictive liquid. I kept my eyes trained on the road, my jaw tightening with each droplet of reddened fluid being pulled into the tube.

This was not my way of living. This should not be _anyone's_ way of living.

No one should have to endure the outcome of that poison. It would have been a much different story had the concoction been given to a reckless vampire; one who was captured to be destroyed. The only convenience this order of high-class royalty did to our kind was to destroy the ones who attempt to expose us to the humans, either by taking a great deal of lives in one area, raising questions, or by simply presenting their enhanced abilities to humans.

All vampires were not… _bad_ , per say. There were those who just want to live in peace. The Volturi ultimately allow us to do just that.

Well, _them_ , seeing as I was no longer allowed to live my life in peace.

"You know, for the sake of your family, I would be a little less…revealing about your dire _revulsion_ to working with the Volturi. We would not hesitate to decapitate every single one of your precious –"

My hand constricting around his throat cut off his verbal attack, mid-sentence. My teeth were bared as a low, menacing snarl broke through my chest. Demetri's eyes were wide and alive with the looming brawl.

"Make _one_ more threat towards my family, and I _swear_ that it will be _your_ head that is removed." My eyes were black as I glared fiercely down at the enemy, my mind reeling with compelling arguments to kill the creature right then and there.

My fingers were making quick work in quelling the skin of his throat until I regretfully let go, my hands finding refuge on the steering wheel.

My breathing was forceful as I tried to calm myself whilst the adversary sat beside me, rubbing his neck.

Demetri's quite, yet noxious voice drilled through my poise.

"It was not a threat. It was a fact."

* * *

"I can smell one."

Demetri's voice broke through our three-hour silent heist.

I rolled down my window and inhaled the air as the cool winds blew the hair around my forehead. The distinct smell of a vampire was in the atmosphere, and it smelt as if it were fairly new.

I pulled the car onto the side of the deserted road and we jumped out, ready for any unknown danger. With the impediments to our abilities, we had to gain a mass of patience as we searched for the girl on road, and now, on foot.

I had never been closed to someone's thoughts, and I realized that it would be a nice change. A mind of silence that I could – willingly – get lost in.

I stopped short as my ears picked up the quiet sound of leaves rustling beneath a quick foot. A scent looming through my nostrils, one so authentic and captivating it had my body trying to move closer to the lovely aroma. It was a floral smell – freesia.

Demetri had taken in the scent as well, but seemed more interested in the sound than the smell as he darted between trees quietly. I watched, feigning indifference as he took on a hunter's stance, awaiting the prey to prance through the wood. Of course, catching a vampire would be a much bigger task than that, especially if Isabella Swan was a newborn.

I had never given much consideration to capturing a vampire. Of course, I felt bad in the sense that no one should have to go through the processes of living with the Volturi clan, but I had never tried to stop the capture. But as the sweet scent wrapped around my mind, indulging my senses, I had the sudden urge to protect the girl, whoever she may be, from her destined future.

I was too late in my strategy, as the form of a girl appeared across the field. She was young; could not be much older than I. The reeling of her crimson eyes, along with the infantile stance she was holding gave recognition to the fact that she _was_ a newborn. Her large, scarlet eyes took in Demetri's stance as he stood still, silently willing her not to run. I studied her as she studied him.

The flow of her long, dark brown hair in the wind; the glimmering smooth, delicate features of her face and pale, elegant neck thanks to the minuscule sun that was perched behind a cover of clouds; the sight of the deep pink lips placed at her pretty mouth had my nerves standing on end. My insides turned, not uncomfortably, as she arched a delicate eyebrow towards Demetri, almost as if threatening him to take a step closer.

 _Pretty little thing, huh, Ed?_

I could hear in his lewd thoughts the intent to contest to her challenge. Then I realized with dismay that I could not here the girl's thoughts. _This_ was Isabella Marie Swan.

 _This her?_ He thought with wickedness.

A low rumbling sound escaped from my chest at the thought of her being placed in danger, and both sets of eyes turned towards me. My darkening glare was concentrated on Demetri, and his eyes lit up in tribute.

He had gotten the wrong idea.

In his mind, he was imaging my clamor as consent to 'finish the job' as he put it mildly. He moved quick as lightening towards Isabella. My eyes darted towards her in unfathomable horror at the possible outcome of the injection. There was no way to stop him, even though I was faster than him. I was yards behind them…he had reached her before I had even taken two steps.

My mind was screaming at her to move. She was a vampire, for god's sake! _Fight back!_

Instead, her crimson eyes locked onto mine, full of confusion…and a hint of wonder. The gaze did something to me; turned something within my cold chest.

I jolted forward out of instinct, a snarl ripping through my chest as the sharp needle came into view, closing in on her arm. How stupid could the bigot be?! He had no way of knowing this was even the girl we were supposed to be capturing! And why wasn't she _attempting_ to get away?!

I watched in shock as Isabella looked down at her arm where the needle had perforated her granite skin with smooth precision, then back up into the triumphant eyes of Demetri.

He watched as the liquid began taking its effects, a smug smile drawn across his face at what he had done. He was satisfied. _Happy_ , even, with his action, and that infuriated me.

How anyone could succumb to this life style— _and like it!_ I was beyond rage as the monster within me took over, turning my eyes black with abhorrence at the smiling form of Demetri.

I couldn't have stopped myself even if I had actually wanted to. All these years of quiet loathing, silent berating of what the Volturi were; hatred of their attempts to pull others into their lifestyle won out over my docile side.

A ferocious growl ricocheted off the surrounding trees as I lunged at my unsuspecting target.

Demetri barely had time to turn around before his offensive head was ripped from his shoulders. I stepped back and watched in horrified amusement as his knees buckled and he slowly fell forward to the ground. It was as if I were watching a horror film. Of course, I had seen many a vampire destroyed, but I was never the butt of the assault. Just an impassive onlooker.

I looked up at the covered sky, taking in a deep, corrective breath, and then realized I would have to burn the pieces before he could pull himself back together. I patted myself for matches, but didn't have any.

Instead, my hand felt the hard, glass casing of the vile. A steady smirk rose from my lips as I stepped closer to his dismembered figure, using the syringe to inject the entire bottle into his system.

I watched his still form, knowing that he was not about to make any sudden spasms, but wishing beyond belief that he would. I turned away before I became too wishful, and began making my way back through the woods when a movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention.

Her body was seemingly lifeless—but which vampire's body isn't? Everything was immobile except her hair, which was blowing gently in the wind. Her face was tranquil as she lay, drawing me unconsciously towards her.

I sighed as I crouched down besides her head, my fingers reaching out to stroke the hair away from her face. I couldn't just leave her like that. Not with the slight chance of Demetri rousing once again.

I realized, as I lifted her off the ground, that I had no way of knowing where she lived. Or who she belonged with, and I certainly couldn't wait around to find out. I carried her, holding her against my chest in a perplexingly protective manner as I ran to the car. I placed her gently in the backseat, and then kneeled down, staring at her face, my mind willing me to comprehend… _something_.

Her features, strikingly stunning, seemed familiar. Not that I had met her before, but in the sense that I knew her longer than the five minutes that I actually did.

My eyes followed my hand as it subconsciously reached out to stroke her chestnut locks. It was as if I was drawn to her, through some unknown force. My hand froze as I gathered my wits, shaking my head quickly. I closed the door, shutting out both my wonder and confusion.

* * *

 _Isabella POV_

Blackness.

That was all I could see. It was as if my brain was in a constant fog, my senses shut off.

Well, all senses except one.

I could still hear everything around me. One thing had stuck out – the terrifying, yet invigorating growl which had set my nerves on fire. I could feel the world coming back around me, the gentle thumps as I was moved. Afraid to open my eyes, I relied on my advanced senses.

There was a sound of fast wind, though it wasn't hitting anywhere near me. The gentle hum of what seemed like a vehicle. _Was I moving?_ I was being transported. That much I could figure out. I wasn't sure where, and I wasn't sure why, but at the moment, only one question stemmed in my mind.

 _Who?_

There had been two people…or vampires, before the darkness took over.

 _Pain. Sharp, staggering pain._

I winced at the memory, the past coming back tenfold.

The blood-red eyes, the tainted sneer, the homicidal stance. _Volturi._

I gasped loudly, and sat up as my eyelids snapped open at the realization.

 _They had found me._

* * *

 _Edward POV_

It had only been a matter of hours when Isabella began to come to.

She would twitch, moan, and shift in her unconscious state. My mind rallied against me with each movement and sound.

There was no way I would be able to control a newborn. A _bloodthirsty_ newborn, no less! I realized with a start that if she wanted to leave, I would have to let her. No matter how much trouble I could get in if the Volturi eventually found her; if she told them I had let her go. They would automatically have my head. Then possibly my family's as well.

My jaw set, hands tightening around the steering wheel as I grasped the fact that I could not let her escape. She couldn't _have_ the chance to tell them I had let her go.

A loud gasp resounded from the backseat, pulling me from my rumination. My eyes shot to the rear view mirror, colliding with a wide pair of dark crimson orbs.

 _She was awake._

 **Well, Isabella is awake! What will ensue now?! Thank you for reading and reviewing! I'm going to attempt to stick to a chapter a day!**


	4. Determined to Try

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

Isabella shifted in her seat, and then was sitting up in a nanosecond. I watched her from the rearview mirror warily. I had momentarily planned on her effort to escape – to try to get out of the car. At least that's what any sane vampire would do. But she never made any attempts, merely sat there, staring out the window, looking rightfully confused.

I spoke softly, trying to alleviate my own anxiety and her mystification.

"Nice of you to finally join the living." I said sarcastically. My tone was similar to the one I used to relax humans when an exchange with them was required.

Her eyes snapped to the mirror, our gazes meeting once again. Her dark red eyes widened and I looked away to the road as my stomach knotted itself at her gaze.

To my surprise, her answer was calm and teasing, "Don't you mean the undead?"

"Something like that..." I muttered, bewildered at her lack of fright.

I chanced a glance at her through the mirror, but had to look away again for she was still watching me, her expression strangely knowing, "Are you taking me to Italy?"

My hands tightened on the wheel as I glanced quickly at the locks on the car. Each door was locked – not that _that_ would matter.

"You are the Volturi, aren't you?" she pressed when I didn't answer. I gritted my teeth, pressing on the gas even harder.

"At this moment, I am pretty sure I am no more a part of the Volturi than that man on the side of the road." I watched as she turned to look behind us at the human that was quickly making his way up the street.

 _Don't have to go so god-damn fast_ , he was thinking but the car was out of his view before he could even complete the thought.

Her eyes were on me again in the mirror, distracting me. She bit her lip, looking around at the interior of the car. Her eyes flew up to the ceiling and then back to me hesitantly, her head still turned up.

"Sorry," I seethed, "I can't let you escape."

"Are we on the run from the Volturi?"

Again, my hands tightened. Yes. Indeed, we were. And the quicker we got out of Canada, the better. We would have to go somewhere remote. Argentina, perhaps. Or maybe Iceland.

"The other one who was there…was he a Guard? Did you kill him?" She waited another three seconds before heaving a sigh and leaning forward. Her face came between the two front seats and I turned to glance at her incredulously. She stared at me, her delicate features daunting.

"Look. _You_ are the one who has taken _me_ – and clearly not for the reason you were supposed to. If you don't want to answer my questions – fine. But at least give me _something_ –"

"Yes, we are running from the Volturi. Yes, he was a Guard. No, I injected him." I interrupted her hastily as her fragrant breath swarmed the air between us.

"Why?" she asked, her eyebrow raising once more. She was staring out at the road ahead of us now, watching the miles fly beneath the tires as I drove south.

"Why what?" I asked, not yet turning to look away from her. Her nose wrinkled softly.

"Why didn't you kill him?"

I sighed, glancing back towards the road. We flew past a sign denoting that we were entering Ashcroft. We were closer, at least, to the Washington border. _Washington…_ Where my family was currently residing. Which reminded me…

"I have to stop for gas. And to make a phone call."

I would need to warn them. I wasn't sure _how_ or what I was going to say, but I needed them to be on the lookout. I had just inadvertently endangered everyone in this world who was dear to me.

"Okay," Isabella articulated slowly, "That still doesn't answer my question."

"I didn't have matches. There was nothing to light the body on fire," I answered quickly, wishing that she would fall back into the light slumber. Surely I could wake her when we arrive to…wherever we were arriving.

"And the injection? What was it? It hurt…" I glanced over at her retreated form, her back pressed to the seat once more. She was looking at her arm, rubbing it gently and there was a strange pang of guilt that coursed through me.

"I know. I'm sorry," I said as I looked away from her. "It's wolf blood. It momentarily paralyses its victim."

"Wolf's blood?!" she cried, her sore arm momentarily forgotten as she stared at me from the mirror once more. This was _not_ something I wanted to get into right now.

"I promise to explain later," I rushed, "Right now, I need to focus on getting us out of Canada." She went quiet for a while, pursing her lips as she gazed out the window in thought. It was strange – horrible, almost – not knowing her thoughts. Why would I have _welcomed_ this silence previously?!

Suddenly, mind-bogglingly, she laughed. "I cannot believe you caught up to me," she snorted. "How did he know I was in Red Rock? Did he have the Guard watching me?"

I glanced at her briefly and then back towards the road. There was a sign signifying a gas station and payphone off of the next exit.

"I'm not entirely sure," I replied, and it was the truth. I tended to keep out of Aro's mind as much as possible. I had no idea how he had known about Isabella or her whereabouts. "Why didn't you try to escape back there?" I asked quickly, frustration lacing through my tone. "Why aren't you trying to escape now?"

She crossed her arms, staring up at the ceiling of the car. "Back there, I was waiting for an attack – _not_ a needle. That was my own fault, really. And now? Well," she paused with a shrug, glancing towards the front of the car once again, "I would be running from the Volturi on my own right now. Might as well just stick with you until a better opportunity arises." She raised her eyebrows as she looked at me and I snorted, shaking my head. How dexterous.

"How do you even know of the Volturi?" I asked, quickly switching lanes unbeknownst to an upset driver. The exit was rapidly coming up and this may be my only chance to warn Carlisle and the others.

"Same way other vampires find out about them. Friends on the inside."

She sneered at the word "friend", and I narrowed my eyes at her explanation, wanting to press her for more information. Who did she know on the inside? Were they still there? Or was it someone like Carlisle – a vampire who had left their disturbing ways to create a better life? "How long have they been after you?" I asked instead, the curiosity burning through me.

She feigned astonishment. "Some Guard you are! Shouldn't you know this?"

"I keep distant," I retorted dryly.

"I'm sure," she quipped. "For the past year. They've only caught up to me once, though."

That shocked me. I was sure I would have seen that in Aro's mind – or he would have told us this information, at least.

"How did you escape?" I asked.

"I jumped into the ocean," she answered nonchalantly. "The little blonde didn't want to jump in after me." I let the words sink in, the disbelief evident on my face. "You escaped Jane?" That was very nearly unheard of. Jane was as sadistic as the rest of them, maybe even more so.

She shrugged and then nodded, tapping her finger against the head of my seat. "Where exactly are we going?" I didn't have an answer to that. At least, not a fully planned out answer, so I pressed my lips into a hard line and raced off of the exit ramp.

"Also…do you have an extra set of contacts?"

I whipped around in my seat to stare at her incredulously. "What?"

"Contacts," she repeated, motioning with her index finger to my eyes. _Ah_.

"These are not contacts," I said as I sat back in my seat. Only seven-point-three more miles until the gas station. I could make it there in half a minute if I was daring enough. I was.

"Then how are your eyes that color?" she asked, her eyebrow quirking once more. She wasn't going to let this one slide, I could see.

"My – _I_ ," I corrected quickly, not wanting to bring my family into this just yet, "hunt from animals, not humans. It makes my eyes gold instead of red." Isabella was silent for a decent amount of time – a lot longer than she had been the entire ride up – before she spoke quietly, "I didn't know that was a possibility."

Out of pity and remorse for even bringing it up, I glanced at her quickly through the mirror. She was looking out her window again, watching distantly as the trees passed in a blur. Her eyebrows were pulled over her strikingly scarlet eyes, a furrow between her brow. She was either deep in thought, or deep in guilt.

Thankfully, the gas station was fast approaching and I picked up speed, nearly missing the street with a sharp turn. There was no time for safe driving. I decided gas was of the upmost priority. The light had turned on almost twenty minutes ago and I wasn't sure how much longer the car would be able to run. We would have to ditch it soon, anyways. The Volturi may have a way of tracking their license plates. It was early in the morning – the sky was only just beginning to show the hints of daylight. The only people around were the attendant and an older man napping in his Ford in a parked car further down the lot.

Not wanting to be captured on security camera moving about in a blur, I had to keep to the human façade as I turned to Isabella in the backseat. "Will you please stay right here?" I asked, silently pleading with her not to run off the moment I left the car. She blinked, confused by my request, before nodding once.

Quickly, I swiped my card. The Volturi's card, I realized wryly. How convenient; they were aiding in my escape. I didn't dare look at Isabella as she sat in the backseat, but her presence made itself known. She sat still as a statue, but I could smell the freesia perfume rolling off of her in waves. It was a delightful scent and I found myself filling my lungs with the fragrance before I even realized what I was doing. I had never before paid so close attention to another's scent. Of course, I could recognize the scent of another vampire, but I had never gone so far as to pinpoint what it was tailored after.

The car filled completely and I hastily put back the nozzle, glancing around for the phone booth.

On to step two.

 **I've had some time on my hands the past couple of days (my classes are in a sort of post-exam period), so I've been able to draft out a good amount of chapters. I'll try to keep posting once a day until life hits me. Thanks for reading and, as always, thanks for reviewing!**


	5. Warnings

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Bella POV_

I sat as stoically as possible as the surrounding air filled with the scent of gasoline. The golden-eyed vampire stood close to the car, though it seemed he refused to look at me.

 _Golden._

I had never, not even _once_ , thought to take animal blood instead of human. It was a pity, really. I hadn't killed many humans – I tended to fill very quickly and last a decent amount of time. I shouldn't chastise myself, though. If I had known about this alternative, I would have forgone human blood altogether as soon as I had been changed. But this was a new era – on the run from the Volturi with an ex-Guard, injected with _wolf_ blood, and now my new diet plan of animal blood.

It was turning into one hell of a day.

A quick rasp against my window startled me back to the present and I rolled down the glass, gazing out at the vampire before me. I realized, suddenly, that I didn't even know his name.

"I need to make a phone call…" His golden eyes raked over me as though he were concerned.

"Okay," I acquiesced, starting to roll back up the window, but he pressed his hand against the rising glass, easily pushing it back into the door.

"You are coming with me," he remarked and the door was being pulled open, a hand shooting out to grasp my arm. He practically pulled me from the car, never taking his hand off of my arm as he walked us towards an outdated looking phone booth.

"I'm not going to run, you know," I stated, glancing at this large hand around my upper arm. I ignored the slight tingling that raced through my arm at his touch. His eyebrows raised, but he otherwise ignored me.

Swiftly, he opened the glass door and pushed me inside ahead of him. The space was tight – even more so than the limited space of the car – and I had to practically push myself up against the wall so as not to touch him. He let my arm fall from his grasp as he grabbed the receiver, resting his forearm on the glass wall just above my head. His fingers tapped against the material impatiently as he shoved a few coins into the phone slot.

I couldn't help but to stare up at him, taking in all of the features I hadn't been able to before. The tousled bronze hair, now a mess since he had been running his hands through it incessantly over the past few hours. An anxious habit, I assumed. His features were perfectly straight as with all vampires, but there was something else about him. Something _more_ than just the normal vampire beauty.

His golden eyes flickered to my red ones quickly before darting back to the dial buttons. I could hear the dial tone as he punched in the numbers too quickly to some foreign place. I had no idea who he was calling or _why_ , but it didn't seem that he was in any rush to give me answers.

I bit my lip as I listened intently as the phone line picked up.

" _Finally,"_ a girl's voice called from the other line, the sound lathered in emotion.

"Alice," he breathed out, his eyes closing momentarily. Was this his mate?

" _I can't see what you are doing or why, but I demand to know what is happening. Why are you not making any decisions?"_ The girl – Alice – prattled on, her incandescent voice slowly grating on me. I pressed my arms behind my back, staring at the golden-eyed vampire.

"I can't… Please, let me speak with Carlisle. I will try to call you as soon as I can, Alice. I have limited time." He glanced to me again quickly, carefully as though trying not to give away too much information. Without a moment of hesitation, a new voice was speaking over the line. A deeper, soothing voice of a man.

" _Edward… Are you no longer in Italy?"_ Edward? His name was Edward? I stared at him still, not having removed my gaze. Edward fit him.

"Carlisle, listen to me. The family is in danger." Family? "Please," he continued, ignoring my look of uncertainty, "Relocate somewhere remote. They will find you if you do not. Aro knows where you are staying. Move as soon as possible; now if you can." The pain in his voice was heartbreaking.

" _I don't understand…"_

"I can't explain…. Just know that I've left the Volturi." He moved his arm quickly from above my head, turning his body towards the phone machine as though he were trying to hide. Suddenly I felt like an intruder, listening into this private conversation.

" _Son, are you in danger?"_

"Yes…no… I am not completely sure." He tensed, his body going rigid as he processed his own answer. I had a strange urge to touch his back; to soothe him in some way. I pressed my hands tighter to the glass. It groaned beneath my palms.

" _Please, Edward. Come home. We can help."_

He took a sigh, short and unsteady. "Carlisle, prepare the family. I may have inadvertently put you in trouble with my own selfishness and I am so, so sorry for that. I need to stay away for now. I will call you as soon as I can next. _Please_ ," he begged again, dropping his hand to his face, "Get out of Forks."

He hung up then, not giving the man another chance to speak and slammed the phone into the cradle. I stood stock still, unsure whether I should remove myself or wait, but he seemed to come to as he turned to stare down at me. He looked as though he had just aged a hundred years.

"Are you okay?" I asked tentatively, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth. His golden eyes strayed on mine for another second or so before he turned to look out to the car.

"No."

He opened the door roughly, the glass splitting halfway down the lining and I quickly pressed my hand to the piece before it dropped. It would not do to bring such attention to us. He moved quicker than before, almost inhuman in his gait, and I followed, reaching the car when he did.

"I promise I won't barrel roll out as you drive," I said softly, hoping to ease the tension. "Can I sit in the front?" I didn't want to be shoved in the back anymore.

"If you must," he stated in a low, muted voice, already in the driver's side. "We will have to switch out cars fairly soon. Maybe once we reach the border."

I sat and quickly buckled, glancing up at the rising sun. Thankfully the windows were darkly tinted. Edward was watching me disbelievingly when I turned to see why we hadn't started moving. "What?" I asked, confused.

"The seat belt is a bit redundant, don't you think?"

I shrugged, leaning forward to pick a good radio station as Edward pulled swiftly back onto the road. His driving was quite fast, which was good at the moment. He shook his head, watching as I fiddled with the radio. Most stations were purely static. I gave up after a few seconds, switching it off.

"So…" I started, a thousand questions running through my mind based off of that phone conversation alone. I wasn't sure which ones would be off limit. I settled for a simple one, "You have a family?"

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, clearly trying to decide how much detail he should give to me. I smiled at him warmly, hoping to convey that I was no threat. I wasn't going to rat him out.

"Yes. They are in Forks, Washington at the moment," he answered after a few seconds. His eyes shifted to my hair momentarily before darting back to the road.

"Are they all vampires?" It seemed like a logical follow-up question.

"Yes," he answered curtly.

"How many are there?"

"Six. Seven including me." He made a face at that.

"Did they know you were with the Volturi?" I asked, turning to stare at him again. He really was a stunning sight.

"Yes."

I pursed my lips. One word answers told me nearly nothing.

"And they didn't understand why you would want to?" _I_ didn't understand why he would want to, but that was beside the point. I was hoping pressing him would prompt a fuller explanation. One that lead to his imminent decision to become an outlaw in the vampire world. There was no way we'd be able to escape them forever.

"No, they didn't." He was angry suddenly, his lip curling over his front teeth in spite.

"It's not as though I had a choice," he hissed. "Aro did not like how large our coven had grown. I think we threatened him and _his_ family, in a way. He told me to join or expect retaliation. So, I joined."

 _Oh._

That was unexpected, but it gave more of an insight into why he had left. He hadn't wanted to be part of the Guard in the first place. He was only doing so to protect his family of vampires.

"But you hated it," I guessed, pressing him for more information.

"I despised it," he confided. I watched as the anger flashed across his features only to dispel into a calmer impassivity.

"Why?" I asked, wanting him to talk more about it, but he sighed heavily, his hand gripping the wheel tightly. His knuckles whitened with the force. "It's not something I wish to discuss right now, Isabella."

"Bella," I corrected him, turning back to the front of the car. I stared out the large windshield, watching the road fly beneath us. The sun was beginning to rise, though there was a clear cloud cover moving across the sky. Perhaps the tinted windows would not be necessary after all.

Something pressed against my shield, attempting to break through the mental barrier that was as much a part of me as each of my limbs and I looked at Edward, confused. He was watching me with a frustrated expression.

"What are you doing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn't answer, only pressed his lips together in defeat. Whatever he was attempting to do was not working. "What is your ability?" I rephrased. He seemed surprised by my question, looking back at me with wonder.

"I could feel you pressing against my shield. Good luck. It is not that permeable."

I could see the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth and I relished the sight after the heartbreaking act in the phone booth.

"I can read minds," he informed me softly, without hesitation. Maybe he was beginning to trust me more. Though, I didn't know why _I_ needed to gain _his_ trust – he was the one who had been sent to capture _me_ hours before. Which reminded me…

"What do you think they would have done with me?"

He seemed surprised by my sudden change of subject, his brow furrowing as he turned back to the road. "Your ability would have been an enormous addition to Aro, especially if you could stretch it to protect others." He looked at me quickly, his eyes beseeching. "Can you?"

I pursed my lips, suddenly guarded. "Somewhat," I finally answered, "It takes a great deal of concentration."

"Aro wanted you to become a part of the Guard," he stated after a moment of hesitation. I hissed, unable to hold back my reaction. His head snapped to me, his eyes roaming my angered expression with surprise.

"I would rather die!" I bellowed, holding his gaze. His face straightened and he nodded sympathetically.

"That's something we have in common," he murmured. Perhaps he despised the Volturi almost as much as I did. But there was a difference; I would never join. He had out of necessity to protect his family – a true martyr.

But I realized as I studied his desperate expression that what he had done was much better, much holier than martyrdom. He had willingly given up his life to spare his family's. He had chosen a path worse than death – Volturi membership. I pitied and respected him on equal levels.

He looked away from me quickly, his eyes dropping to a compartment just below the radio. He opened it quickly and in a flash, a handful of cases were strewn on my lap.

"I heard them rattling around in there when I first took the car," he said. "Pick one since there are no stations coming in." I smiled, staring down at the covers.

"Eclectic selection," he mused, glancing over at the options. He was right. There was a mix of classical, pop, country, blues, even heavy metal.

"Any preference?" I asked, reading over the list on the classical disc.

"While hard rock may better fit the circumstance, I'd say go with that one." He motioned to the composition I was looking at and I grinned, shoving it into the player. It started smooth and soft – a piano arrangement mixed with violin. It was lovely. I listened, letting the music soothe my running mind when something that he had said jumped out at me. "You _took_ this car?"

He looked over at me, his head practically rolling lazily and he gave me a long exasperated look that had my stomach flipping.

"Bella," he crooned in his muted, velvet voice, "We are on the run from a very powerful, very _deadly_ ruling vampire society. Please do not tell me you are against grand theft auto at the moment."

I bit my lip to hide a smile, "If you put it _that_ way." He laughed, a musical sound that paralleled beautifully with the musical notes radiating through the speakers. I slouched back into my seat, content to stare out the window with a very inappropriate-for-the-circumstances smile.

* * *

We had ridden in silence for the past few hours, the landscape flying by at incredible speeds. The classical arrangement had slowed to an end and then restarted about thirty minutes back, but neither of us did anything to change the repetition. Something seemed to strike him as he turned to look at me.

"You don't happen to have a passport on you, do you?"

I shook my head, staring at him wide-eyed. He swore quietly before pulling off onto a dirt road that seemed to lead through the woods. I watched, surprised as he managed to avoid trees and rocks along the way, finally cutting the engine a mile or so in. We were clearly hidden off of any trails.

He got out quickly, not bothering with human antics and I followed suit cautiously. He grabbed something from his pockets – a wallet and something that looked like a tiny glass bottle. I stared at the dark liquid before my muscles tensed to run. He seemed to notice, his head snapping up as his eyes found mine.

"I'm only disposing of it," he soothed before dropping the wolf blood and stepping on it with the toe of his shoe.

"We won't be able to drive through the border crossing for obvious reasons." He arched an eyebrow and I wasn't sure whether he was referring to my bright red eyes or the fact that I did not carry around identification. Most likely both.

"We will have to run."

Run? The way his eyes glinted told me he was not joking.

"We'll find another car once we reach the States."

I took a breath, but nodded. He was right, of course. Quickly, he ripped the license plate from the car, folding the offending metal into a clump before tossing it far from the vehicle. I felt like I should be doing something – helping, but I wouldn't even know where to begin.

With a final glance to ensure that I would follow him, he took off through the woods much like a bullet. I was behind him within a second and then we were running side by side, no sound evidence to our departure.

"What if someone finds the car?" I asked curiously, keeping my eyes ahead and my body attuned to his. He seemed to know these woods better than I did. I had never strayed far from the British Columbia and Yukon Territories of Canada once I had been changed. With each slight repositioning of the direction in which he was running, my body would automatically shift.

"It's the least of my concern," he answered shortly.

"Where are we going?" I urged.

"Somewhere in South America for now."

His speed picked up and I had to push my legs harder to keep up. But I could tell as I watched his body move with a fluid grace that he could run much, much faster. He was keeping up with _me_ , not the other way around.

"And what will we do there?" I pressed, wanting more definite answers. His face contorted slightly and his eyes flickered to me quickly before focusing back on the woods ahead of us.

"I don't know," he answered softly.

It seemed like an honest answer.

"Hold your breath," he murmured after a few silent minutes and I looked at him with confusion. He tilted his head to the side slightly, his eyes glancing over towards the sounds of the upcoming highway. I could hear in the distance the sounds of sirens, static over radio, exhaust from cars. The border. _Humans_. I snorted.

"I'll be fine."

He eyed me skeptically, slowing to a more leisurely run – leisurely for a vampire.

"Honestly," I continued, "I can control myself."

"Aren't you a newborn?"

"I told you that the Volturi have been after me for a year…" I trailed off at his condescending expression. He still considered me a newborn. I wondered how old _he_ was. I rolled my eyes, making a show of inhaling the air around me and holding it in my chest. Quirking my head, I dropped my shield.

 _Happy now?_

He looked shocked, and then frustrated as I let it snap back into place. His eyes narrowed.

"We'll run through the opening in the woods just over there. There's a small river that we can easily jump and we will be on home soil in no time," he said, a conflicting emotion running across his face.

"Home for you," I mumbled, releasing some of the air I had been holding as he took off once more.

"Are you from Canada?" he asked suddenly, his eyebrows furrowing at my statement. I only shrugged.

"I was changed in Canada. I don't know if this is where I lived as a human. I can't remember." I had very hazy details of my human life, and none circled around any telling sceneries that would lead me to a specific place. I did, however, remember in fine detail a tall cactus beneath which was a fading wooden sign with an arrow that pointed up. I never understood it, but I enjoyed this image for some odd reason.

"Where are you from originally?" I asked, wondering if most vampires forgot their beginnings. Edward only moved closer to me in the forested path that we were invisibly following, a finger moving to his lips as he glanced to the side of us. I followed his gaze, noticing the quick passing of the border.

"Chicago," he stated curtly and then motioned for me to follow quickly.

He was right; the river was easy to jump. We did so at the same time, barely even touching any watered ground. The subsequent escape was fast and, though I knew there was no need for worry or fear, I couldn't quell the anxiety that built within me until we had passed a particularly average looking mountainside and Edward slowed and then halted, looking up to the sky.

"Lynden," he remarked to himself and I wasn't sure whether this was a nostalgic name or where we were.

"U.S.?" I implored, glancing around at the scenery. It was just an average forest; the same as Canada.

He turned to me with a grin that lit up his face, making him look even more remarkably beautiful and the breath I had been holding rushed out of me like a vice.

"Yes," he breathed.

The smile, and relief, was short-lived as we took off towards civilization.

"You need to steal another car?" I guessed. He shook his head, some of his bronze hair flopping into his eyes. It blew away again with the wind.

"I am going to buy one. There is a dealership just east of where we are."

* * *

We were standing just on the outskirts of the woods, staring at the automotive dealership across the road. There seemed to be barely anyone around, though I could pick up a few scents from the passersby. I had recently hunted only a few days ago, but all of this commotion and unease had built up my appetite.

"If I asked you to stay here, would you?"

I turned away from the bright red car I had been eyeing to glance up at Edward's face. Again, his features stunned me; his lean and muscular arms now visible beneath the long sleeved shirt he had pushed past his elbows. He ran a hand through his hair anxiously.

"I told you, I'm not running," I reminded him.

It seemed as though he wanted to contest my words, but he held his tongue, nodding once instead.

"I'll be right back."

And he was gone, moving fluidly across the road and disappearing among the hundreds of cars on show. I bit my lip, trying to listen, but he had moved too far away. I would not be able to hear anything that happened. I could only hope that he would keep to his unspoken promise as I would mine – he would return.

 **These chapters are getting longer! Thank you again so much for the reviews and I will try to keep updating quickly, .mar! I really appreciate the feedback and I'm glad you are liking the story!**


	6. Senses Reeled

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

I stared in the tinted window of the Mercedes-Benz S55 – the same car that Carlisle owned and revered, though his was black and this one was white. That would not do. We would need a dark car.

Dark, tinted, fast.

Those were about the only qualifications I cared about, and the SLR McLaren sitting just inches beside the S55 perfectly fit the description.

 _Too young to be looking at such expensive cars..._

I groaned, knowing that I was not dressed to act the part at the moment as the salesman spotted me from his office window. I shoved my hands into my back pocket, fingering the wallet I had quickly shoved inside as I waited for the overweight, overconfident man to approach. It was a tedious task, really. Deathly slow.

 _I wonder if he's running around with Daddy's credit card?_

I snorted to myself, picturing his face when I pulled the black card from the last pocket of the leather wallet. I was sure that would quell any of his questioning.

"Hi, there. I'm Dan. Something I can help you with today?" He greeted me as he came closer, his falsely white teeth gleaming with a million-dollar smile.

"I'll take the SL65," I answered, ignoring his unflattering inner turmoil. But, addicted to the sale as he was, he gave me the benefit of the doubt.

"The SL65 is a great –" I did _not_ have time for this.

I glared at him, having to tilt my head down just slightly.

 _Holy fuck…_

"I've done my research. I'm in a bit of a hurry." I fished the wallet from my pocket, smoothly handing over the black card. His eyes gleamed at the sight, his mind still a blunder of fright. I could see me in his mind's eye – the scowl, ashen face, dark eyes. I would need to hunt soon.

"Yes, yes. Of course, Mr...," he trailed off, glancing quickly at the name on the card as he took it gingerly, "Hale."

Thankfully, that would not be the name on the card for much longer. I was certain we would be rotating to McCarty soon enough. If there _was_ another chance to rotate.

 _Fuck. Don't care who this kid's dad is. He must be loaded._

"Would you like to test drive, Mr. Hale?"

 _Say no… Gotta make this sale fast. Randy will not believe this…_

"I'll be fine." He beamed at my answer.

"The grey metallic will be fine," I continued, knowing from his line of thoughts that that was the next question.

"We have many features available –"

"Basic, please." Anything to be back on the road, hurtling through the western states.

He disappeared in a fit of his own glory to run through the payment as I waited impatiently. I crossed my arms, leaning against the car as I scanned the woods just ahead. Bella would be there, _hopefully_ , waiting. I couldn't spot her, but I had a feeling she hadn't run just yet. It seemed she was just as clueless about outrunning the Volturi as I was. Surely, they would know something had happened by now.

Demetri and I had both gone missing. The only good thing I had done in this instance was paralyzing Demetri. Aro had lost his tracker. It would make it a lot more difficult for him to find me – _us_. The others were out of shape when it came to tracking; Aro had always relied solely on Demetri. There was no need for the others to pick up the skill.

 _Don't understand_ why _I always have to bring him his lunch. The fatass can't even fit in his jeans properly. Maybe I_ will _have an affair with Chad…_

The chaotic female voice trailed off and I could see from her mind that she had caught sight of me, leaning against the car. Not close enough, I was not intimidating – only attractive. The physical surface that drew in the humans.

 _Or maybe I'll have an affair with_ him _._ I held back the sneer at her thoughts.

"Hello," she called to me a few cars away as she traipsed into the building, clutching a plastic bag with red lettering printed across it. Her voice was familiar; similar to the voices of the majority of the females I came into contact with – alluring. Or at least, an attempt at allurement.

If only she knew _exactly_ what would happen if my mouth landed anywhere close to her throat.

Disinterestedly, I gave a curt nod, not bothering to glance fully in her direction and then looking away.

 _Whatever,_ she thought as she stomped away, _looks too young anyways…_

"Where's Daniel?" I heard her bark at the receptionist as she strutted to the counter. I rolled my eyes, realizing she was speaking of the salesman.

Several minutes later, he reappeared, holding the credit card, a look of determination on his face.

 _If only I could sell the add-ons…_

"The car will be ready in about twenty minutes, Mr. Hale. We understand you are in a rush." I nodded tersely at his statement, speaking abruptly before he could suggest the Attention Assist feature. As though I would be falling asleep at the wheel…

"Thank you. I will be back then."

I took my credit card and identification from the man and quickly turned to make my way across the lot. Surely I could make more use of my time in the woods than listening to the man's inner monologue. His face had reddened as I turned, angered at the loss of a larger sale but I could not be swayed. Not when the added features would take an extra hour.

Dejected, he made his way back into the showroom to his office.

I passed the Hummer that his wife had arrived in, the windows rolled all the way down and noticed the pair of black sunglasses perched on the dashboard. Surely they would not be missed. Quickly, I scooped them from the vehicle, the movement invisible to any security cameras – and there were a lot – and pushed them haphazardly into my front pocket. I crossed the street, heading back into the far woods unbeknownst to any of the surrounding humans. They were so unobservant sometimes.

I could smell her freesia fragrance; I knew she was still here, but where? She stepped from behind a rather large tree, her large scarlet eyes falling on me.

"Twenty minutes," I replied to the questioning in her eyes. I noticed how bottomless they seemed; enigmatic, but they easily displayed the emotions running through her mind. Perhaps, if I could keep a clear view of her tell-all spheres, the silence of her mind would not be that dreadful.

I pulled the glasses from my pocket and held them out to her. Her eyes darted to the object and then back to me, her brow furrowing.

"It will be easier to be in public," I commented.

She took them gingerly, pushing the temples beneath her dark hair and over her ears. She smiled.

"How do I look?"

"Ordinary," I answered with a smirk and she pursed her pink, pouting lips. Of course, she looked anything but ordinary. The black seemed to frame her pale, creamy skin beautifully, her small, straight nose curving out slightly from beneath the bridge. Her hair hung straight and long around her, silky and shiny in its appearance, finishing off the look.

Not ordinary – stunning.

There was one problem, though. Her eyes were practically shielded from me. I could see through, of course, with my heightened vision, but it was not enough to gather her thoughts.

Thankfully, she pulled them off, resting them atop her head.

"Why do you insist that I stay with you?" she asked.

I grimaced. Would this upset her?

"You…know too much. I cannot allow you to fall into the hands of the Volturi and reveal everything you've heard about my family."

She looked shocked at my words, her mouth agape before her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes flashing with malice.

"I would never!" she exclaimed angrily. I only shrugged and leaned against the tree, gazing back out towards the road. Only ten minutes remained.

"You don't know what they are capable of. They can get the truth out of you if they so wish."

"My shield will protect me," she retorted.

I shook my head, glancing back at her. "Not only with mental abilities. They'll torture you to remove the truth." I was struck by a sudden, horrendous vision of Bella being held by the Volturi Guard; their grotesque hands clamoring all over her small body as they afflicted pain. It was harrowing to say the least.

"Oh," she murmured, looking away. _Don't worry,_ I wanted to say, _I won't be letting you out of my sight for a while._ I needed to ensure my family's safety and secrecy above all else.

"Why haven't you _tried_ to escape?" I asked instead, distracting her from whatever horrors seemed to inflict within her.

She shrugged, her eyes softening as she gazed back up at me.

"Like I said – I'd be running from the Volturi anyway. You seemed to have a plan at least. I thought I'd be safer with you." Safer. She thought she'd be _safer_ with me, and yet I had been on the task force to take her to Italy.

"Edward?" I looked up at her from the rock I had been intently studying, the sound of my name from her mouth sending a strange tingle through my body. Was I only feeling this way because she was the first non-Volturi vampire I had encountered in nearly eighteen months? A _good_ vampire.

"Why did you attack that Guard back in Red Rock?"

I blanched at her question. There was no honest answer that would not sound…senseless. What do I tell her? It was out of pure instinct? I had a strange protective sensation flow through me when I saw you? I didn't want to see you at the hands of the Volturi? Senseless…

I chose, instead, a more passive route. "The capture and destruction of volatile and cruel vampires never upset me too badly, but I could not justify the capture of an innocent."

She looked ashamed, chewing on her bottom lip. "What?" I asked, studying her expression closely. It gave nothing away.

"Well, I'm far from innocent," she whispered, motioning towards the sunglasses meant to cover the evidence of what we truly are. How silly, she would think that she is not innocent. She seemed the most innocent to me – naïve in her youth.

"You can stand to be around humans only a year into your transformation," I stated dryly, motioning towards the bustling road behind us. "You haven't yet let your blood thirst overcome you."

"But I've still killed humans…"

I shrugged, "And so have I." I could see that she was still not convinced, a line forming between her brows as she fretted. I didn't want her to view herself this way; nobody would.

"Bella," I soothed quietly, stepping closer to her. I moved as though she were a frightened, caged animal. "After surrounding myself for nearly two years with monstrous beings who would rather watch the life slowly drain from a human rather than end it quickly, who would rather the victim scream in their pain as they took their time, I know the difference between good and bad human-feeding vampires. You are good, trust me."

Her eyes glazed over at my words, her breathing coming quicker now. I watched, confused.

She seemed to shake herself of the daze, taking a breath.

"You can't know that," she pressed, "You don't know whether I've enjoyed the kill." She was practically snarling now, her upper lip curling just so slightly over her top teeth.

"Have you?" I asked sharply, knowing the answer before her features even softened. She dropped her shoulders, and with a sigh glanced back towards the road.

"No," she mumbled. I smiled.

"You see? We cannot help what we are, Bella. It is how we _choose_ to live that makes the difference between moral and immoral. As far as I can tell, loathing the idea of having to take from humans, and _not_ taking from humans are on the same playing field." I felt like I was directly channeling Carlisle.

"Moral?" she asked, her eyes brightening.

"Moral," I concluded.

She was quiet for a moment and I let her ponder this, hoping she would truly understand that she could not fault herself for her choice in diet. If she didn't have someone like Carlisle to guide her through – if any of _us_ didn't have Carlisle to guide _us_ through, we would have all turned out to be ravenous monsters.

"I think," she spoke quietly, keeping her eyes downcast, "I would like to hunt animals…"

I beamed. "Then you won't be needing the sunglasses for much longer."

The twenty minutes were up and I could hear the quiet musings from the salesman as he read over the receipt, ensuring everything was up to par.

"Put them back on," I said, tilting my chin up towards the black glasses still sitting on top of her head. "Our car is ready."

* * *

"Is it red by any chance?"

"Gray," I indicated, pointing towards another car of the same color.

 _Holy fuck._

I groaned as an image of Bella standing beside me blossomed in Dan's mind as he drove the car around to us.

 _What I wouldn't give…_

I growled instinctively and saw Bella whip around to look at me from the corner of my eye. At least she could not hear the degrading thoughts.

"Mr. Hale, you are all set." He stepped out of the car, moving closer to us.

 _Must be his sister…_

He was comparing the pale, flawless skin; the grace with which we carried ourselves.

"Thank you so much," I said icily, moving to the passenger side door. I held it open, motioning with a hand. "Bella." She didn't argue, taken aback by my sudden ferocity.

 _Damn. Hot name. Hot body. Definitely a good fuck…_

I couldn't hear any more of this.

I slammed her door rather roughly, receiving a strange glance from the salesman. Typical humans did not slam doors of newly acquired cars. Well, I was not a typical _human,_ as I was so desperate to demonstrate for him.

"If there are any issues, please. Do not hesitate to contact us…" His voice lost tempo as I turned to stare at him. He swallowed, the pulse point in his neck throbbing harshly. Perhaps I could cause a coronary. Such a simple, human way to die…

He looked away from me quickly as I stole into the driver's seat, not even bothering to glance around at the finely tuned car. Under different circumstances, I would have given it a more thorough review. His gaze fell back on Bella from beside my door, his pulse beating away again though for an entirely different reason.

 _Wish I could see her eyes… Bet they'd beg for a good fuck._

Atrocious, vile.

 _Kind of look like the sunglasses I bought Miranda…_

It was time to leave.

I stepped on the gas, relishing in the idea that I could easily run _Dan's_ body over without so much as a sound. I would be out of the state before anyone even discovered him. I didn't. Instead, high tailing it to the on ramp of the nearest highway heading south. Away from the ghastly man.

He and Miranda deserved each other.

 **Disturbing, I know. Anything to get Edward riled up, am I right? And thank you .mar! I really appreciate it! This was the last chapter I had written up, so it may take a bit longer for the next few, unfortunately :( But I'll be working on them over Easter Sunday!**


	7. Windswept

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Bella POV_

"Are you all right?"

My voice was merely a gasp as I held on to the armrest, my fingers digging into the fabric as we accelerated at break neck speeds. I stared at Edward, alarmed and dazed.

"Yes," he snapped, but his foot inched the car closer to a hundred and fifty despite his words. His fingers held the wheel so tightly I was afraid it would snap, his features in a frozen state of fury. Panic seized me as I scanned the road behind us. Were we being followed? Was that the reason for the fast getaway?

"Did they find us?" I whispered, my voice holding all of the panic and alarm I felt.

Edward glanced towards me, his expression softening just slightly.

"No."

I sighed, my head falling forward in my hands. My hair fell around me like a curtain.

"Edward!" I groaned, exasperated. I decided to forgo the questions – obviously they would get me nowhere as to his sudden reaction.

We sat in silence again as the road plummeted beneath us, the car barely moving at all in its high speed. We were passing through Snohomish County as indicated by a sign hanging above the highway, and I stared out at the waterfront. It was beautiful; there were at least a hundred boats in the marina. I couldn't recall the last time I had been to a beach. It would have had to be during my human years, but I could not remember much of those.

I glanced around the car, looking for a distraction as the backdrop had become trees and mountainous rocks and my eyes landed, yet again, on the black screen hovering over the radio.

"What is that?"

Edward looked over to where I was pointing. "GPS."

 _Oh_!

"Shouldn't we be using it?"

He shook his head, "It's touch activated." I waited patiently for him to continue, but he stared back out towards the road, his hands loosening on the wheel until he was driving with just one hand. I watched his fingers curl around the leather in a daze.

His head tilted down towards me and I looked away, embarrassed, quickly pressing my index finger to the dark screen. Nothing happened. I turned back to him, confused, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Our bodies, namely our fingers, lack warmth or moisture. These have capacitive sensing." He touched his finger to the screen where mine had just been. "They cannot detect the heat or humidity needed to function." He shrugged, gripping the steering wheel again. "It's practically useless."

I stared at my fingers, wriggling them and then feeling the tips with my thumbs.

"So, basically you're saying we're dead."

"Technically, yes." He laughed that carefree, musical laugh that did not match his countenance from only moments before. He turned away from the road to look at me, a smile still lighting up his dazzling features.

"Or, as you would say, undead," he amended. I smiled, staring back at him.

There was something about his dark eyes as they gazed back into mine. Golden flecks moved through the charcoal irises alluringly. It was like he could see straight through me – my eyes no more than a window straight to my very being. The atmosphere around us charged quietly with a gentle hum, my limbs loosening and tightening at the same time under the spell. He didn't look away from me though, the car still moving steadily along the highway. His smile faltered and his lips parted. I took a breath and leaned back against my seat, forcing myself to look forward before I did something reckless.

The building desire to touch him hadn't lessened any, though, and I was happy – and disappointed – when he finally looked away as well. It was new; it was strange. I didn't know what it was, but I didn't necessarily dislike it.

After what felt like hours of restraining myself from looking up at him, I let my head turn a fraction, my eyes landing on the side of his face. He seemed troubled…dismayed, somehow and I wondered why.

I didn't have long to wonder, though, when we passed a flashing sign on the side of the highway. The words were bright orange against the black background. They were simple enough, but they spoke volumes:

 _3HR delay on 101. Alternate route for:_

 _Neilton_

 _Quinault_

 _Queets_

 _Kalaloch_

I didn't even bother studying the alternate route or continuing to read the list as the last town encompassed along the heavily traveled route stuck out like a sore thumb: _Forks_.

 _Ah._ So this was why he had taken a sudden fall into despair. We were close to Forks.

"Are we taking the alternate route?" I asked softly, peeking up at him. His jaw clenched.

"No. We are headed south, still."

I bit my lip, still watching him. He should at least say goodbye to his family…

"I'm sure we could spare the time," I continued, "They must miss you."

His hands clenched around the wheel as he scowled. "It will be safer if we stay far away from them."

I shook my head, vehement, now. "No, it'll be safer if they know that you are okay. And, besides, we should probably fly, right? I mean, it'll get us south a lot faster than driving." It was a foolproof plan, and I could tell that Edward was contemplating as the car slowed just an inch.

"And I'd like to wash up a bit," I added with a small smile. "I haven't had a shower in _months_."

He peered over at me, his expression disbelieving. Yes, my clothing was nearly immaculate, but only because I had recently borrowed the sweater and jeans from a drying line somewhere in Red Rock. Showering was not a necessity to vampires, but I knew that my hair was caked in dirt. Thankfully, it was not nearly as noticeable.

"And you can get there in less than half the time the board suggested," I continued, not able to hide the pleading in my voice now. The thought of cleansing myself beneath hot water was really too much to bear.

He pursed his lips, but ultimately nodded as he veered off to the nearest exit, a few cars honking in his hasty wake.

* * *

The house was a lot larger and a lot more modern than I would have pictured. It was shocking, really, that they could live like this at all - among the humans. I was almost positive they did not succeed in blending in what with their unnatural beauty and golden eyes.

"They must have left already," he had stated with relief as we quickly darted from the car into the mansion. I didn't miss the tinge of sorrow, though. He wanted to see his family as well.

I snorted as I stared up at the enormous winding staircase. No wonder he was able to quickly buy such a lavish car.

"There's a bathroom over there," he motioned down towards a long hallway. It was dark, but there were at least twenty garnished paintings hung up along both walls. The ceilings were so high.

"Will it work?" I asked, testing a light switch on the wall. Ten lights flickered, lighting up the massive hallway. _Wow._ I couldn't recall the last time I had been inside of a house.

"Yes. They must have left everything running just in case we made a stop." His brow creased suddenly as though he was considering this notion. Quickly, he moved out of sight as I stood, gazing up at one of the large paintings on the wall. It was a bed of roses – red, pink, yellow, purple, white… It was lovely. The detail was so intricate.

" _You have one message."_ Robotic words echoed through the silent house and I waited before turning to the bathroom. Would it be the Volturi?

" _Edward!"_ It was the girl from the payphone – Alice. _"I cannot believe how late you are making decisions. It is really quite annoying. I know you and Bella will be stopping by in an hour and twenty minutes."_ I darted to his side at the sound of my name, giving him an inquisitive look. He was pinching the bridge of his nose, his arms crossed as though irritated.

" _The Volturi haven't realized yet what has happened, but I will keep an eye out for you. There's a phone in the drawer beside the sink."_ I glanced down, pulling open the drawer carefully. There was a small silver device. Not a touch screen, it seemed. I took it out gingerly. The phone immediately rang, a sharp, shrill sound that had my limbs tensing.

"Answer it," Edward ordered, stepping back towards the open room. I did as he said, hesitantly.

" _Hello, Bella!"_ I froze, uncertain. Edward nodded once, telling me that it was all right.

"Hi," I answered softly.

" _Tell Edward that your plan for the flight will work perfectly. You are booked for the next available flight – 2:27AM in the morning. There are some clothes that you can borrow in the room upstairs and to your left. Ask Edward, he will help you. Call us once you, land, okay?"_

"Uh, okay," I answered quietly, confusion marbling through my tone. How had she known all of this? I hadn't heard Edward make another phone call – we hadn't even stopped after purchasing the car…

" _Stay safe."_ Were her parting words before the phone disconnected, an irritating tone playing through to my ear. I closed the silver phone, putting it down on the counter.

"What…was that?"

Edward had been watching me, his expression guarded, yet amused. He shook his head, his bronze hair flopping over his forehead. "She's a clairvoyant. She can predict the outcome of things we have decided." _Wow._

"Oh…" I trailed off, looking at the clock. It was just after ten in the evening. So much had happened in such a short period of time.

"Are you sure I'll have time to shower?" I asked, glancing back up at him. He nodded, moving swiftly past me towards the hallway, but quickly detoured to the stairs, motioning for me to follow. He led me onto the second floor and through a large room on the left – the room Alice had told me about. There was nothing in the room besides a tall bureau, a large desk, and an even larger bed. I watched, standing against the wall leading to the bathroom as he dashed around, grabbing towels and shampoo.

"Everything you need you should find in here. You can put your clothes in here." He motioned to the plastic bag hanging on the handle of the door separating the bedroom from the bathroom. "Would you like to keep them?" I shrugged, moving out of the way as he practically darted back to the bedroom.

"They aren't mine; you can throw them away if you'd like."

He looked at me curiously and then arched an eyebrow.

"I didn't _take_ them," I rolled my eyes, knowing he was comparing my thievery to his earlier one from the airport, and then huffed, crossing my arms. "Okay, but I left something of mine on their back porch. It was a trade."

"What did you leave?" he asked, tilting his head questioningly.

"Just a locket," I said quietly. I had worn it ever since I had woken as a vampire. I wasn't sure where it was from or if it even had any relevance or importance in my human life, but it seemed to be worth money. I was almost positive it was made of pure silver.

He looked as though he wanted to ask more questions about the trinket, but I turned quickly to head into the bathroom. "I should probably shower. We don't have much time."

"Yes," he answered softly. "Help yourself to the closet once you've finished." And then he was gone.

I inhaled softly and turned to the shower stall. At least something good could come out of this situation – a shower.

* * *

The shower was cleansing and purifying – emotionally as well as physically. I felt _clean_ ; something I hadn't felt in months. My hair was drying slowly, dripping down my back as I gazed into the extensive walk-in closet. One side was filled with men's clothing and one was filled with women's. I wondered briefly who this room belonged to. Whoever it was, they sure owned a lot of clothing.

I settled on a dark pair of jeans and a dark gray sweater. Even the bra seemed to fit my size. It felt nice to dress in soft fabrics. These were obviously meant to fit the bodice well. The shirt and jeans I had taken back in Canada had been slightly oversized.

Edward walked back in as I was hanging the towels over the rack to dry.

"We should be all set to go…" he trailed off as I moved around the door to look at him, combing my hair quickly. He was holding two pieces of paper in his left hand.

"I can't find any shoes," I admitted, and he glanced down at my bare feet. I felt suddenly self-conscious, standing in this room – his? Was I wearing Alice's clothing?

"Over here," he said after a moment, moving towards a hidden section of the closet. He pressed a button and shelves magically appeared, one elongating after the other. The shoe collection was impressive. I stared, wide-eyed.

He picked up the pair closest to him – black stilettos. I bit my lip.

"I'm not sure high heels are the best option given the situation…" I trailed off, eyeing a simple pair of boots. They seemed more sturdy. Better for running through the woods if the need came about.

I moved closer to him, reaching to grasp the pair. They were brown and rose just past the ankle. I liked them.

"Here." He dropped the heels and pulled a pair of socks from another drawer. I took them gratefully and then moved back to plop on the long, fabric bench in the center of the room.

"This is some closet," I stated, glancing around. "Did they not take anything?"

"Probably not." He shook his head, moving to sit on the other side of the bench. We were further apart than when we were in the car, but it felt more intimate, somehow. There was no sound of the road, no outside scenery, no cars falling behind us…. Just Edward and I in this silent, brightly lit room.

"They'll most likely purchase all new clothing and furniture once they reach…wherever they've gone." He ran a hand through his hair and then leaned forward so that his elbows rested on his knees. He had changed his clothing as well, I noticed. He was in a light grey button up and black pants. He looked spectacular. I laughed.

"What?" he asked, glancing up at me with a small smile on his lips. I could feel him attempting to push through my shield to no avail.

"We match," I commented. "Sort of…"

He glanced between us and then laughed as well.

"Are they going to tell you where they've moved to?" I asked after a moment.

"I would rather they didn't. I don't want Aro to be able to find out anything more on my family."

"How would he be able to do that?" I asked, glancing back up at him. He was watching me in that slight way that he often did – down his nose as though he found me interesting. It was mostly my shield, I figured.

"Aro can read minds."

"Like you?" I was appalled. But, of course he would be able to.

"No, not like me." He ran his hand through his hair again and I watched as the bronze color glinted in a million different shades under the lights. It was beautiful, really.

"I can read from a distance only what you are thinking as it passes through your mind," he gave me a pointed look, "Well – not _you_." I rolled my eyes. "Aro has to have physical contact in order to do it, and he can see anything that has ever passed through your mind. It's like a movie of your life."

I shivered, not at the thought of Aro being able to view anything anyone has thought, but at the thought of being _touched_ by the vampire. I had never seen him before, but just the _idea_ of him trying to read my mind… I shivered again.

"Don't worry," Edward said, guessing where my mind had gone. "With any luck, he will never have a chance to read you."

I nodded, hoping that he was right.

He stood and I followed suit, running my fingers through my still damp hair. It would take a while for it to dry completely. I glanced once more at the bed in the center of the room; there would only be one use for it in the vampire world.

"Is this your room?" I asked, biting my lip.

"No, my mother and father's."

"Mother and father?!" I gasped. He turned to glance at me.

"Adoptive parents," he said with a smile. "Esme and Carlisle."

 _Ah._ Carlisle was the man from the phone. He had sounded very fatherly – he had cared deeply for Edward, his son, as I could tell. Before I could ask anything else, he held out the silver phone to me hesitantly. I looked down at it and then let my eyes travel back to his, uncertain. Did he want me to call Alice again?

"Would you like to call anyone?" he asked, his eyes wary. _Oh._ I shook my head. I didn't have a family like Edward. I was on my own. He seemed to understand, and the phone was out of sight within half a second. He really could move very fast.

"We should go," he concluded and I nodded in agreement.

* * *

He was handing me the sunglasses at the same time as he pulled the car into the dark parking garage. There was so much noise; so many people. It was nearly overwhelming. My throat burned, but I ignored it. If it got to be too much, I could always hold stale air.

"Won't this look suspicious?" I placed them over my ears, glancing at myself in the side mirror.

"Not if you have this," he answered and flashed a golden card at me from his wallet. I wasn't sure _what_ it was, but I didn't think I wanted to know. Most likely some extremely expensive royalty card.

I followed him closely through the airport, hanging off of his left side. A few times I had gripped onto the corner of his dark blue jacket, dodging the small children and equally juvenile adults as they bustled through the busy airport.

"Are you all right?" He had asked at one point, his mouth moving close to my ear. I fought back the tremble that threatened to move along my spine, inhaling his delectably fragrant scent. It was sweet like honey. It made me want to move closer to him.

We were waiting in line to give our tickets to board, the man behind the counter glancing up at us often. His eyes lingered on me for a moment and I looked away quickly, praying he would not request that I remove the sunglasses. I was running through the options in my mind: contacts, a disease, allergies… None seemed good enough but thankfully the man – _Tom_ – printed two tickets. Edward took them quickly, a scowl again on his lovely face.

"Have a nice flight Mr. McCarty. Ma'am."

I nodded, shooting Tom a thankful smile and Edward grasped my elbow gently, leading me towards the runway to board the plane. He carried the small duffle bag that he had quickly filled with clothes for the both of us. I had thrown in the hairbrush and the bottle of shampoo that Edward had to switch out for a tiny bottle. Any chance I received, I would be clean.

"McCarty?" I asked, watching him as we hurried on board. We were not late in the least, but he seemed in a haste to leave the grating airport behind.

"I thought your last name is Hale."

He glimpsed down at me from the corner of his eye. Honestly, if he _still_ didn't think he could trust me…

"Hale was my sister's human name; McCarty was my brother's." The word _sister_ and _brother_ should not have shocked me as much as they did. He referred to Esme and Carlisle as mother and father. Clearly the rest would be siblings of some sort.

"What was yours?" I asked.

He didn't answer as the flight attendant came into view, her deep red lips perfectly matching my eyes. I held my breath, noticing how tiny the area was about to be. I could hear a few humans on board already. Was I ready for this?

Edward didn't seem concerned as he pushed me forward, his hand pressing to my back lightly as he handed the girl our tickets from over my shoulder. My eyes were wide behind my glasses. Hers had not yet moved from Edward.

"Mr. McCarty, thank you for choosing our airline. If there is anything we can do to further comfort you, please. Let me know." I wondered if Edward could hear the suggestive tone of her voice, but then I realized – he could. He could hear the suggestive thoughts as well.

He smiled tightly, "Thank you."

The stewardess shot me a long glance as I passed.

I stared in awe as we walked through the velvet drapes and into a section of the plane that was filled with white, large chairs. There were small windows beside each seat and each seat seemed to be accompanied by its own table alongside an elongated footrest. There was a television attached to a small wall that rose from the foot rest. This side was much different than the smaller, cramped side.

"Have you ever been on a plane before?" Edward asked. I looked up to see him watching me, an amused expression on his face.

"I'm…not sure. I don't think I ever have, no." I was sure I had never been in the sky before. Even as a human. I was sure it was something I would remember.

His dark eyes flickered over mine once more before he stood to the side, ushering me into one of the small aisles that held two large seats. Only a wide arm rest separated the two.

"You can sit by the window," he offered with a smile.

"Masen."

I looked over at him shocked. We had been sitting in comfortable silence, my face practically stuck to the window as I watched the men below work to fill the bottom of the plane with packages. So many suitcases and musical instruments, it seemed.

"My last name," he added.

"Oh!" Edward Masen. I liked it – it suited him.

"But we tend to go by Cullen. It's Carlisle's given name."

Edward Cullen. I liked them both…

"Is Isabella Marie Swan your human name?"

"Yes." I could practically feel the blush trying to lighten my stone cheeks as my full name rolled off of his tongue. He nodded appreciatively and then glanced out towards the aisle, his brow furrowing slightly before something that looked like understanding flitted across his features.

"What is it?" I asked, figuring he had heard something.

"It seems all of First Class has been booked, but no one has arrived besides the two of us." He peered down at me quickly before looking away again as though wanting to drop the subject, but I could see a pattern registering here. Alice, the clairvoyant, had known about the plan to fly. She had booked the flight; she had probably even seen Edward give me the sunglasses…

"Alice booked the entire section, didn't she?" She had seen my red eyes – she knew I drank from humans.

Edward leaned closer to me suddenly, his wide obsidian eyes raked over my face quickly and I accidentally let out the remaining air I had been holding for speaking at the surprise of how close his face was to mine. His eyebrows knit together slightly as he stared at me.

"Don't be upset," he murmured, his voice soft as velvet. "My sister only did what she thought would make you most comfortable. She most likely hasn't seen how controlled you are just yet."

After a few seconds, I managed a nod and he leaned away from me, seemingly content with my change in expression. But, as I drew in a quick breath, watching as he flipped down the arm rest between him and the aisle, I couldn't help feeling that she was correct in her assumption. My throat burned ravenously as the scent of the hundreds of humans seated behind us a wall away ravaged my senses. I had never been in this close of contact with so _many_ humans before.

But, as the thirst died down with the blockage of the blood-infused air, my other senses become unclouded. Specifically, my sense of hearing.

"Sister?" I questioned, eyeing his suspiciously.

"Yes, Alice," he replied, testing the control of the volume on the small television before him. He had changed it to a music station. A soft melody was crooning through the speaker.

"She's not your mate?" I had to admit, the sudden surprise that flitted across his face was reasonable.

"Alice is not my mate. Jasper is her mate," he concluded, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. It was one of incredulity; obviously this notion was amusing to him. "I don't have a mate," he added. The strange feeling of relief that washed through me was confusing. Why would it matter if he had a mate? Why would it matter _if_ Alice was his mate?

"Does he have a gift?" I asked to distract myself from the force of his words as well as the look on his face.

"Jasper is an empath. He can manipulate the emotions of a single person, or a crowd of people. It is very interesting." I listened in awe, wanting to know even more about his family, but a light dinged on the screen at the head of the plane, and a rehearsed video began.

I barely paid attention to the instructions of a safe flight, focusing on this new detail about his family. There were three, maybe more, gifted vampires in his family. No wonder he didn't want Aro to know about their whereabouts.

I looked at Edward, shocked as the lady on the video began demonstrating the use of the oxygen masks.

"How necessary are those?" I asked, glancing back as she described some of the scenarios in which such techniques would be required. I had heard and read, of course, about plane crashes as a vampire, but I had never known they could be so…imminent. But Edward was already shaking his head.

"An accident is very unlikely. Besides, we would be able to walk away unharmed," he mused.

"But the humans wouldn't," I reminded him.

He cocked his head to the side, his eyes hypnotizing me once more.

"I suppose you are right," he said after a moment, clearly bewildered as to my concern for the human lives. They deserved to live just as much as we did. It was a strange thought, coming from a vampire that fed off of humans and I turned back to the window in my despondency.

It would all change, though. The human life I had taken a week ago would be my last.

 **Thank you for reading! This chapter took me a bit longer than I had hoped for, but I hope you had a great Easter! I'll be updating hopefully twice weekly now... Classes are starting to pick back up so I won't have much free time :(**


	8. Irresistible

**Woah, this story got an amazing amount of reads and some more reviews over the past few days! Thank you all so much for your interest in my story (and, of course, to Gemdelmar [it won't let me put the periods for some reason, lol])! There were quite a few questions and I believe many will be answered in this chapter, unintentionally. The others…well, you will have to continue reading ;)**

 **Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

Bella had turned back to gazing out the window, her body leaned up towards the edge of the plane as she pressed her hands to the wall on either side of the small glass pane. We had taken off a while ago and she was suddenly absorbed by the soaring sights – the shrinking airport, the withdrawing town, and now the clouds that we were suspended between. It was nice to be able to share this moment with her when I knew that in a few days everything was going to change. We didn't have long before the Volturi determined that Demetri and I were missing, or that Bella and I had jumped countries and were now flying towards the Mexican border.

Yes, it was nice to watch her so excited and _fascinated_ by the dwindling world.

Her hair had almost completely dried now and I realized that it was not as dark brown as I had assumed all those hours ago. There were red metallic hints to her long hair and they glistened in the fluorescents from the small light above her head. Her haired moved over her shoulder as she leaned closer to the window, angling her head so that she could look down towards the surface. Her lips were slightly parted, though no air was moving in or out. She had been holding her breath and I hoped that her realization that Alice had bought out the entire First Class seating selection with concern that the human blood may be too much for Bella to handle had not had too much of a play in her choice.

She really was remarkably controlled. I hadn't seen anything like it _since_ Alice. Unlike the majority of us, she had never once lost control in an unplanned situation. But then again, she was _Alice._ Nothing was ever unplanned for her.

Bella turned suddenly to look up at me, her large scarlet eyes landing eagerly on mine. It had a been a relief for both of us when I had told her she could remove the sunglasses. I could easily warn her when they would be needed. Now I had an open window into her covert mind.

"It would be so nice if vampires could fly." And yet, she always came out with the most unpredictable of dialogue.

"We _are_ flying," I reminded her. She only smirked and returned to staring out the window.

The stewardess had arrived an hour into the flight to check if we needed anything, her mind a pit of agony as she took in my physical appearance. I could hear her plan to check back often, but I had quickly quelled that thought, requesting that we be left to ourselves for the remainder of the flight. A flash of my teeth as thanks was enough to send her nerves into a frenzy of fear as she stumbled out of sight.

Bella had looked up to me questioningly and I nodded. She pulled the glasses away from her face.

"I'll pretend to sleep next time," she had said with a smile.

Now, five hours into the flight, she had given up glancing out the window. She was stretched out, her arms crossed, her ankles crossed as well as she stared up at the light and fan above her, studying the intricate, yet boring details.

Suddenly she looked over at me, her scarlet eyes darker than before. I wondered if the scent of the humans was beginning to get to her; it was beginning to get to me. We would have to hunt upon landing.

Her eyes flickered towards the curtain separating us from the rest of the plane and then back to me.

"Is it later yet?" she asked. Of course, she still wanted to know about the wolf's blood. I scanned the plane. Most of the humans were either sleeping or absorbed in their own boredom. The attendants were busy making silent runs, handing out pillows and blankets.

"I suppose," I grimaced. She sat up quickly – too quickly. The arm of the chair between us groaned with the movement and I pushed it up hastily before it broke. There was nothing separating the space between us, now.

"Sorry," she grinned sheepishly, moving her arm carefully.

"No harm, no foul," I responded. The haste of buying plane tickets so late – as well as buying out the entire First Class – had provided us with an unkempt airline. It was safe, of course, but there were small tears and pen marks on the fabric of the seats. The rug was pulled up in the corner and the television to the right of us was slightly chipped on the top right corner; they would not think much of a broken arm rest.

"Is anyone listening?" she asked, knowing that my extra sense would fill us in of any eavesdroppers.

"Hardly. We are quiet enough as it is."

She nodded and then looked down, obviously trying to think of her first inquiry. It was exceedingly difficult not to be able to simply pull it from her mind. I waited impatiently.

"First…could that have happened to me? What happened to the Guard?"

I grimaced. "We used a smaller amount for you. I injected Demetri with the entire vial."

"But it could have," she stated, staring pointedly at me. I hung my head. If Demetri had _waited_ …if he had given us more time to determine whether or not she _was_ the one we were looking for… But it hardly mattered. She _was_ the one we had been searching for and Demetri would not have let her go without a fight.

"Yes," I sighed, mortified. "If we had been more sure…if we had been more careful…"

She sat up straighter, leaning closer to look at me. Her mahogany hair fell around her shoulders, her freesia scent pulsing through my wrecked senses.

" _We_? Edward, _Demetri_ was the one who injected me. You saved my life."

My head snapped towards her at her words. Saved her life? I had made up the hunting party to _take_ her life.

"Hardly," I snapped, ignoring the pulsing that seemed to radiate through my limbs. It was like the electricity that had surrounded us in the car; it was overwhelming and gratifying all at once. The proximity of her face once I turned was mesmerizing. The removal of the armrest had allowed her body to shift closer to the center of our conjoined seats.

"We had come to kidnap you and deliver you straight to Aro," I snarled.

"Yes, but you didn't. And you didn't _want_ to – you _had_ to. You had to go along with Aro's wishes to protect your family – believe me, I understand that. But ultimately, look where we are." She made a sweeping motion with her hand towards the empty plane, but I didn't take my eyes off of her face. "Forty thousand feet in the air, crossing state lines to run from the Volturi. If you _hadn't_ been there, I probably would be in Aro's court by now, being fitted for a robe."

The mental image of Bella standing before the brothers, a dark red robe surrounding her delicate shoulders, her bright red eyes gleaming out from the hood had me shuddering to hold back a gasp.

"And now you're letting me tag along on your escape plan." She smiled, a striking smile that pulled up the corners of her full mouth and reached her eyes. She _was_ thankful for me. But was I letting her tag along? At first, keeping her with me had been another plan to keep my family safe, but as I studied her elegant features I wondered whether I was letting her tag along or simply helping _her_ escape.

I didn't like the idea of her surrounded by the Volturi anymore than I liked the idea of my _family_ surrounded by them, and then I realized I liked it even _less_. Was it because I felt responsible for the situation she was in? Surely I was not… As she had stated herself, she would be in Italy by now.

But I didn't have any more time to ponder the theory as I heard the beginnings of the flight attendant preparing herself to make another appearance. I groaned, glancing towards the back wall.

"Pretend to sleep," I murmured to Bella quietly and she quickly fell into a false slumber.

 _Maybe I could write my number on the napkin… Is he with that girl? They didn't seem to be close. But then again, they're flying from Seattle to_ Mexico _together…_

I watched as she deliberated with her inner struggle and settled on scribbling ten digits quickly on a folded doily, shoving it into her pocket as she grabbed the tray of drinks.

Neither the drinks nor the phone number would be necessary.

I leaned back, closing my own eyes and became still as a statue, ensuring my breathing was regulated as a human's. It was infallible. No one could fake sleep – or death – like a vampire.

" _You wrote your number for him?"_ The attendant was flashing the crumpled fabric at her coworker with a suggestive smile.

" _Of course,"_ she replied, _you're just angry you didn't think of it first._ I groaned again. The smaller the amount of attention we pulled to ourselves the better.

" _Have you_ seen _him? Fuck-hot."_

" _His red hair is killer,"_ her friend answered. _He is_ so _out of your league…_

" _Seems more brown to me..._ _With the dark eyes, though? Wow."_

Bella gasped quietly from beside me, clearly having heard the length of the conversation, save the petty thoughts. We listened as the attendant parted the fabric but before she fully stepped into our section, Bella slid closer to me, resting her head against my shoulder and snaked her arm around mine. I froze, the unanticipated move startling me, and then melted against her. There was a strange warmth radiating through me from every point of my body that was in contact with hers, despite our matching skin temperatures.

I barely even heard as the attendant made her way down the aisle, slowing to a stop as she saw our sleeping position. I could see what we looked like from her thoughts: Bella pressed tight to my side; my body leaning in towards hers. It was strange to watch us and feel _her_ at the same time – it felt…right, somehow. Surely it was due to the fact that I had had zero contact with anyone amicable for the past two years. Although I had never been _held_ this way…

It only made me want to be even closer to her; to smell her freesia perfume, to touch the soft skin of her face, to feel between my fingers the silky chestnut locks that were pressed to the corner of my jaw.

 _Damn… Monica was right. They're not siblings. Unless they are, in which case…gross._

I almost laughed.

She left, disheartened, with the folded doily still tucked away in her pocket.

I lifted my head grudgingly, glancing towards the back wall. Bella lifted her head, too, her eyes finding mine. They were bright and alive, though wary.

"I don't think she'll be back to disrupt us," I said with a small smile. It was too bad. I watched, distracted as she licked her lips and then released her hold on my arm.

Bella untangled herself from around me and I immediately felt the loss of her delicate body. She leaned further away from me, her expression one of sorrow. It seemed she didn't want to move any more than I wanted her to.

"I'm sorry," she repented, glancing up at me from beneath her dark lashes. The sight was hypnotizing at best. "I thought it might be easier if…"

She trailed off, but I knew what she meant. It would be easier if the humans thought we were traveling together as a couple.

"It's easier than any other explanation," I commented. She smiled.

"I guess describing the actual reason we are here would be a bit disconcerting," she said wittily. I laughed despite the circumstances. Yes, that was undoubtedly true. She stared at me for another moment before her eyes flickered to the separating veil of fabric and then back to me. I nodded, letting her know it was all right to continue.

"Wolf's blood…" she trailed off, looking again at her arm. "Wolf as in the animals that hunt in packs, or…?"

I grimaced. Clearly she did not know of the existence of werewolves.

"It has an entire explanation…" I trailed off, glancing over at her. She seemed eager to hear it, so I continued. "Have you ever heard of shapeshifters?"

She shook her head, her eyes widening. Right. She must have come into this world completely unaware of the supernatural community that lived within the shadows as most of us did. Did she not have anyone to guide her through after her transformation? I would have to ask.

"There are two creatures that are seen as our enemy: shapeshifters and werewolves. They are both wolves in their own right, but werewolves are bitten while shapeshifters are _born_ as wolves."

"Do they only shift into wolves?" Bella asked in awe. I smiled, unable to help myself. Her desire for knowledge was palpable.

"I'm not sure," I answered honestly. "The only ones my family and I have encountered shifted into wolves. I am sure there are other kinds, though. Other spirit animals, perhaps." I knew it was a point of interest for Carlisle ever since we had met the Quileute tribe.

"You've met some?" Her eyes were wide as saucers, her mouth slightly agape.

"They live on the Reservation by Forks."

She let out a breath, clearly shocked by how close she had been to these other supernatural beings without even knowing it.

"Anyways," I continued, "the shapeshifters are often left to their own devices. The werewolves – or Children of the Moon as the Volturi refer to them – are not. One of the Volturi brothers –"

"Brother _s_?!" Bella's expression was horrified. Had she only known of Aro?

"There's three," I amended, my voice softer now. I didn't want to frighten her. "Aro, Marcus, and Caius." I waited, but she didn't ask anything else.

"Caius was once attacked by a werewolf and condemned the race to extinction. There were numerous hunting parties set out and before the wolves were destroyed, their blood was collected for testing. It was already known that an attack by a real werewolf could greatly damage a vampire. It could even inhibit our ability to heal." I paused, thinking back to Carlisle's retelling of the history. He hadn't been there during such a regime, of course, but it clearly added to his decision to leave the powerful group.

"They gathered the blood and…" I trailed off, looking away. It had only been recently that they had been able to design the blood specifically enough to cause such devastating effects. I gritted my teeth, recalling the exact moment, seventy decades ago, that the Volturi had called upon Carlisle for his help.

"Aro had attempted to enlist Carlisle's help in the research to give the blood the lasting affects they were searching for. Carlisle has always been one for education, spending most of his early life as a vampire studying anything there was to do with vampires and humans alike. He studied science, history, art… anything he could get his hands on. The Volturi knew of his extensive research and thought that he could help in theirs. Of course, he had vehemently refused to take part in such a disturbing use of his talents." I paused, glancing out towards the window with a sigh. "I suppose that was the beginning of their unease towards our family. Aro didn't understand why a man such as Carlisle, revered for his unique diet and expansive knowledge, would refuse to help the royal coven."

I peered over at Bella who had been listening silently, attentively as though she were starved for the information. Much like Carlisle, in that sense. I smiled gently.

"Of course, once Alice and Jasper joined our group, it made things better…and worse."

Bella frowned. "Have they been keeping tabs on your family?"

"Most likely," I nodded. "But once Alice arrived, we could then keep tabs on _theirs_. It was difficult, at first. Alice had never met the brothers before – she tends to be attuned to those she knows, but after a while, she was able to keep track of their decisions. We could see when they were planning an unannounced visit. We could see if they planned to defeat our coven."

"So, did Alice see Aro threaten to destroy your family, then, if you didn't join?"

"I thought, at first, that she had. But she knew next to nothing about the Italian coven and their desire for power – besides what Carlisle told us, of course. She had a vision a couple of years back of the Volturi visiting. I could hear Aro's thoughts through the vision. It was something I had never been able to do before, but I think maybe it was because he is also a mind reader. But I could hear his agitation with the size and ability of our coven and I could hear his plan to contest us. I traveled to Italy on my own before he had a chance to come to North America – we were somewhere in New York at the time – and attempted to convince him otherwise, but he only wanted one thing. My loyalty or…" I trailed off and Bella's reverent eyes roved over my face desperately.

"And here you are," she whispered quietly. I shrugged.

"And here I am."

 **I hope that wasn't too confusing or boring… I needed to explain more of the Cullens involvement in the Volturi lifestyle and how Aro came about his decision to enlist Edward for his Guard. As always, thank you for reading and I hope to have the next chapter out by midweek!**


	9. Twisted

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Bella POV_

There were so many questions running through my mind. So many questions about Edward's family, about the Volturi, about Aro and his brothers, about werewolves, and shapeshifters, and mind-reading… The list went on and on, but Edward quickly diverted my attention, his once brazen and distraught face melting into something much more intense; much more distracting.

"But I wonder…" he trailed off, his head tilting to the side curiously. "…how the Volturi came to know about your existence?" Oh…how would I know that?

"You probably know better than I do," I stated with a shrug. "All I know is that one day a few months ago I was running along a mountainside somewhere in western Canada when a small vampire – Jane," I remember he had called her that, "found me. She told me that she was with the Volturi and that a vampire named Aro requested my presence in Italy and that refusal would mean death. So, naturally, I fled."

"Into the ocean," he recalled with a nod. His chin was tucked in his hand, his elbow resting against the armrest separating him from the aisle of the plane. He watched me with morbid curiosity.

"And she didn't follow after you," he remarked, his eyebrows raising with what I perceived as surprise. Perhaps this Jane was something much worse than what I had seen her as – a small, blonde-haired, child-like vampire. I shook my head.

"Is that out of character for her?" I asked.

"Definitely." He shifted, moving closer to me slightly. There was a gentle hum strumming through my body. "Jane has an ability that would not have been useful around you. She can inflict excruciating pain upon anyone she looks at, if she so chooses. I'm not sure why she was traveling alone," he frowned at this, "But I would guess that she gave up after she realized you would not succumb to her gift. Perhaps that was how they discovered you – a simple chance encounter."

He shook his head, clearly disturbed by the memory of her talent. I silently thanked god for my shield, not even wanting to imagine what would have happened if she had been able to get through it.

"Is she the most powerful, then? Jane?" Clearly such a power would mark the Volturi as extremely dangerous, but Edward shook his head.

"There are others who have abilities that strengthen them even more. Her brother, for example, can make it so that you are devoid of all senses – touch, sight, smell…" I shivered as he trailed off. Thankfully my shield would protect me from that.

"There's Corin who can make you feel a strange sense of contentment. She can put anyone to ease, which is very harrowing for the victims. Renata is unique. She has a force field that she can extend beyond her or anyone else. It acts like a buffer. If she has it up, you cannot get through."

"So I wouldn't be able to shield against that?" I asked, watching as his eyebrows rose gently.

"Probably not, no." I didn't like the idea of that.

"And then, and probably the most useful to Aro, is Chelsea. She manipulates relationships."

"Relationships?" I asked and he nodded, watching me carefully.

"She is the main reason the Volturi actually work. She can make it so everyone is powerfully and devotedly loyal to Aro and his brothers."

"Do they know?" I asked quietly, "Do they know she's manipulating them?"

He shook his head, glancing down and a lock of hair tumbled into his eyes. I wanted to reach over and twist it back into place. "They don't. Aro keeps her ability a secret. I only know because…" He glanced up at me with a small smirk and tapped his head. "It's useful, sometimes," he quipped.

Useful all the time, I thought to myself. He knew all of the Volturi's top secrets.

"So everyone in the Volturi are very powerful, then," I guessed.

He hummed, tilting his head, "Not quite. The one's with useful abilities are reserved for the Guard, but there are many who are just very fast or very strong and many more who are devoted to the cause. Chelsea's mate, for example – Afton, his ability only helps himself. He's a shield, like you, though he cannot expand it. He can make himself invisible if he chooses."

I raised my eyebrows and turned to glance out the window in thought. I had believed everyone in the Volturi had been relished with a special ability. This was news to me.

"Tell me," he requested suddenly, peering down at me with wide eyes. As though I would be able to keep anything from him… "Do you know who changed you? Or where they are?"

I wondered if this was his past-Guard character speaking, or if he was actually curious.

"I don't remember much… I only remember that I had been on a hike with my mom and I got lost in the woods. Somebody – a man, I think – found me. I only remember him apologizing before the burning started." I shrugged. It was really the only human memory I had left. At least, one that wasn't disrupted by haze.

"How long ago?" he asked, his expression suddenly contrite.

"A year, maybe? It was two days after my seventeenth birthday, I know."

"You were very young," he commented. His eyes were liquid as he watched me and if I was human, I was sure I would be blushing.

"How old are you?" I asked, wanting to divert the attention.

"One hundred and four."

Oh! He was over a century old? But, I guess, that was not all that old compared to some of the vampires that were still around…

He smiled smugly then, tilting his head acquiescently. "We were the same age," he noted, and my eyebrows rose. He looked a lot older than seventeen.

"You don't think you lived in Canada?" he asked suddenly, his brow creasing. I could feel the familiar poke against the barrier of my mind and I smiled at him knowingly.

"I don't think so. It's where I woke up as a vampire, but nothing seemed familiar to me." Not that anything seemed familiar in general… But I seemed to remember being in Canada for a specific reason. A vacation, perhaps. A sharp pain stabbed at my chest as I thought of my human family.

"My mom must have been worried sick. I hope she isn't still looking for me."

Edward's eyes narrowed and then roamed over my face quickly. They landed on my mouth and I realized with a start that I had been biting my lip in my consternation. His eyes flickered back to mine, darkening slightly, before he looked away from me, finding a sudden interest in the seats in front of us. His face contorted in a silent anger.

"It's all right," he admonished. "Give it a few decades and everyone you know will have died."

It was an awful thing to say and I inhaled sharply, staring at the side of his face with indignation.

"As long as we haven't been killed first, you mean," I added sharply. He looked at me quickly, his face softening. There was hardly a trace of the resentment, now.

"Sorry," he murmured, his mouth barely moving with the word.

"You are very pessimistic," I observed after a few seconds. He only gazed at me.

"What's left to be optimistic about?"

"A lot of things," I insisted harshly. He looked as though he didn't believe me.

"For one, your family is out of Forks. They can stay safe now, thanks to you." His face contorted, but he didn't argue further. "Second, we are on a planeto _Mexico_ instead of _Italy_. _That_ has to count for something."

"Not if we are apprehended as soon as we land," he contended, but I ignored him.

"And your psychic sister is helping us escape by letting us know when and if the Volturi decide to come after us. We can be ready, just as you were two years ago when she saw them prepare to fight your family. So," I took a breath, slipping back on the dark sunglasses just as the pilot announced overhead that we would be coming in for a landing soon, "those are something things _I_ am optimistic about."

He was watching me with amusement, a small smile tugging at his beautiful mouth.

"Oh!" I had almost forgotten the biggest circumstance I was thankful for… "And you, of course, are saving my life. So, yeah, there are some things left to be optimistic about."

He shook his head and looked down, though I could see the smile growing wider.

"Well, Miss Positivity," he cajoled and I couldn't help but to laugh, "I hope you are correct, because we have a three-hour stopover before we reach Mexico City." He reached across me quickly to pull the small plastic screen down over the window and I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth as his sweet scent rushed around me at the close contact, my body tingling with the recent memory of being wrapped around him as we feigned sleep.

I could only hope there would be another opportunity like this one.

* * *

There was just the slightest hint of sun peering through the trees as we stood in the airport somewhere in New Mexico. There was only one flight left and then… I didn't know. I wasn't so sure Edward knew, either. I wondered whether we should call Alice, but Edward seemed preoccupied with the large board a few yards away from us, listing the times of the flights.

"We're delayed an hour," he said quietly, turning to glance at me. I frowned. Did we have an hour to spare?

Another large group of humans swarmed the area, all glancing up at the changing board. The fire in my throat that had been quelled burst into flames and I swallowed convulsively, keeping back the venom that had pooled my mouth. Edward watched me, concerned, his eyes darting over my face. We barely knew each other, and yet I felt as though the past thirty or so hours together had made it so that we could easily read each other. Him, especially.

"Would you like to hunt?" he asked, glancing towards the large, automatic glass doors a dozen yards away from us. More people were streaming in than out, it seemed. "I think it will be good for both of us," he commented and I noticed just how dark his eyes were. There were purple shadows sweeping across the thin skin beneath his eyes. He was thirsty, as well. That made me feel better.

I nodded, letting the unnecessary, blood-infused air move out of my lungs and holding them immobile in their constricted state. I wouldn't be able to speak this way, but at least it halted the ominous flow of venom into my mouth.

"Come," he ordered and held his hand out to me. I took it gingerly, ignoring the sparks of electricity that delved from his palm into mine, glancing around at the multitude of families around us. No, it would not be good to remain so thirsty for any length of time.

He held the duffel bag in his other hand as he ushered us out and across the level of the vast parking garage, further towards the edge. He glanced down into the woods and I followed suit. It was quite a drop. He looked up, checking the cemented ceiling at different points before letting go of my hand.

"Jump," he instructed. I did as he said, leaping easily over the four-foot cement wall, landing with a soft thump a good fifty feet below. He was behind me in an instant, his steps silent as a ghost.

"Human or animal?" he asked, stopping to turn to look at me before taking off into the woods. I glanced away from him shyly.

"Animal."

He smiled and then took my hand again as we ran through the forest of New Mexico. It wasn't as dense as the Canadian woods I was used to inhabiting. We would have to go fairly deep into the woods to catch any wildlife, I realized, being so close to the airport.

I was strangely excited; giddy, even, to begin my new diet. The idea of walking from the woods in two hours with bright gold eyes was a dream – it would be a delight to look in a mirror and see gold instead of deep red. I smiled as we ran, but another fear quickly settled within me. I had always been a messy hunter. Blood would cake my hair and clothing for days until I could find a lake or stream to wash myself off in. There would be no such reprieve or time before the flight.

My feet held their ground quickly, my arm flying forward as our hands disconnected suddenly. Edward ran for another few feet before slowing and turning back to me, an uncertain look on his angelic features.

"What is it?"

I bit my lip nervously. "I'm…not clean when I hunt. I tend to get blood everywhere…"

He seemed to understand the dilemma, glancing back towards the airport quickly and then at the duffel over his toned shoulder.

"We have extra clothes," he reminded me, but I shook my head.

"No, I mean _messy_ , Edward. It gets in my hair and under my nails and under my _clothes_ –"

He was before me in an instant, his hands gripping my shoulders and shaking me slightly to cut off my babbling. I stared up at him, horror struck in my own memories and dazed by the proximity of his absurdly handsome face. He leaned closer to me so that we were eye level – quite a feat for him.

"I'll help you as much as I can," he insisted. "And, worse comes to worse, we'll find some sort of water to clean you up before we have to head back up."

I closed my eyes and took a breath. I could trust Edward. I nodded, and when I opened my eyes, his were softer and he was smiling a crooked smile that left me delirious.

"I can hear a herd of deer just a mile south. They are the easiest to catch and put up the least fight. We shouldn't have much trouble."

Edward was right, of course. The deer _were_ rather easy to catch – or more so, they were easy to chase. They didn't resort to attacking as a defense mechanism; they simply ran. But we were faster. Edward had let me hunt first, staying a fair distance away by some trees as he watched and the sense that he _was_ watching was disconcerting and comforting at the same time, as well as a bit sensual. My body kept wanting to move towards him, to seek him out among the trees, but I focused on the scent of the large deer as they lapped at a nearly dry puddle.

There were a lot of them – maybe twenty in total. I had never seen a herd so large, but then again, I had never actively hunted out animals. I took down three easily, and then moved for a fourth just for safety measures. Being overfilled with blood could only help and, secretly, I hoped it would add to the devastatingly golden color of my eyes.

I finished, quickly moving towards Edward, a larger than life smile plastered across my face.

"Better?" he asked, his eyes darting from my eyes, to my hair, to my mouth. I nodded, glancing down at my body. I was definitely covered in blood. I blanched.

"I'm sorry…these were your mother's clothes…" I trailed off, attempting to rub some of the more offending spots of blood off of the dark sweater, but Edward stopped me with a shake of his head.

"Don't worry about it. You did good. Barely any blood on your skin or hair." He grinned and I reached up to finger some of the tangles out of my long locks. There were a few specks of blood along the ends of my hair, but I knelt down, wiping it away in a small collection of water hidden in a deer track. The ground was slightly soggy with it.

"Here." Edward handed me the duffle bag before stepping away from me.

"Get dressed. I'm going to hunt quickly." His eyes lingered on me for a fraction of a second before he turned and, in a flash, had gone off to chase the remaining herd. I watched, stunned. He was very fast – faster than me, even, and I was fairly quick. I had been able to outrun Jane that one time, but I was certain Edward could do that and _then_ some. I was glad he was out of sight as he hunted; I don't think I would have been able to concentrate on changing with the distraction of his lithe, lean body crouching and lunging forward like a spring. Just the thought of witnessing such movements had me trembling slightly with anticipation.

I ripped open the bag, shuffling around to find another pair of jeans and another shirt. This one was short-sleeved with a slight ruffle where it ended just at the shoulder and a light pink color. It was really pretty and suddenly I felt guilty for wearing – and ruining – so many of Esme's clothes. The Cullen family had left in a hurry and most likely hadn't even had time to pack their most valuable possessions. What if this was a favorite of hers? What if the dark grey sweater had been?!

But it was a new world, I realized as I pulled the fabric over my head, fluffing out my hair from beneath the shirt until it tumbled around my waist as usual. They had left in a hurry to save their own lives, and that was exactly what Edward and I were attempting to do. I'm sure she would realize that the usage of her clothing was a dire need. Besides, I had _nothing_.

Edward's figure appeared from between a few trees and I realized with a feeling of irrational jealousy that he was just as immaculate as he had been before hunting. It barely even looked as though he had run through the woods at all, not to mention attacking and feeding from a group of deer.

I crossed my arms as he slowed to a jog, a smirk on his face as he neared.

"It takes practice. In a few years, you'll be able to control yourself more."

The question was, would I be _around_ in a few years to learn such control?

We made it back to the airport with half an hour to spare, but before we made our way across the road and into the giant airport, Edward handed the sunglasses back to me. I stared at them, impassive.

"Are my eyes not gold enough?"

He cocked his head to the side. "They're still red. That'll take a few more hunting trips."

 _A few?!_ I took the sunglasses harshly, stabbing them behind my ears roughly while Edward watched with amusement.

"That will take so long," I moaned. His mouth twitched.

"I thought you were an optimist?"

I ignored his sarcastically innocent statement and started across the street. Edward followed and then easily caught up, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth the entire time.

It wasn't long before they were boarding our second, and final, flight, but the phone in Edward's pocket began to ring and he answered it quickly.

"Alice," he greeted. I listened quietly to the conversation.

" _It's not good news, Edward."_

He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose again. It was the same reaction he had while listening to the message on the phone at his house.

"How close are they?"

" _They haven't left Italy, but they are thinking of sending a search party for the two of you. Apparently, Demetri was supposed to check in by now?"_ I heard Edward swear softly under his breath before turning to glance out the long windows beside us. I watched as well as one of the further planes was being loaded, an intense panic settling deep within me. How long would it take for the search party to find Edward – and then to realize that I was with him?

"Is Mexico still a good plan for now?"

" _It seems safe… I'll call again once you land to let you know if anything has changed. And don't worry about us, Edward. We can fend for ourselves. Take care of yourself and Bella."_ I froze at the implication behind her words.

" _Oh, and tell Bella not to worry – her eyes will be bright and gold by her third hunt! Now go and board."_

With that, the phone disconnected. Edward held it haphazardly before him, before letting it close shut with a small clasping sound. I turned to stare at him, horrified.

"Now what?" I breathed. I could feel how wide my eyes were from beneath the glasses. He took a breath, ran a hand through his bronze hair, and stared at me with his butterscotch eyes.

"We fly to Mexico."

 **It's been a while! A lot longer than I had hoped for, but finally I have completed another chapter :) I have the next halfway finished and with any luck, I'll have it up by Sunday night! Thank you all for reading and reviewing!**


	10. Unthreatened

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Bella POV_

The second flight was not as long and we were again placed into our own section, every other seat empty. I wondered briefly _how_ Alice could have done this at such short notice, but ultimately decided I'd rather not know.

"You must have a lot of money," I commented once the plane had taken off, my sunglasses tucked safely away in the fold in the seat before me. Edward glanced towards me and then back at the map that he had been silently mulling over for the past twenty minutes.

"Why do you say that?"

I scoffed. "Well, you just bought a brand new car and then ditched it a day later like it was nothing – you could have at least left it at your house in Forks." He only shrugged, not bothering to look up. "And your family was able to quickly move out of state with barely any warning, not selling the other house or shutting off the electricity and water."

"We own a lot of houses. We move around a lot," he stated dryly.

"Not to mention the plane tickets," I continued, "And not just ours. Clearly they have bought out all of the section again." I made a sweep with my hand to illustrate the empty seats surrounding us. I expected Edward to retort, but instead he grabbed my hand as it swung back towards him, his eyes intently searching my arm.

"What are these from?" he demanded, his tone softer now, but deadly somehow. I shrugged, pulling my arm from his grasp.

"The day I was changed, probably." I knew what he had been looking at. It was the first time he had seen them; the first time I had worn anything but long-sleeved shirts around him. There was an almost-invisible crescent shaped bite mark on the junction between my wrist and palm, another in the crease of my elbow, and yet another beneath my underarm. Not to mention the marks on my ankles and backs of my knees. I was fully marked, I knew.

His brow furrowed and he reached over quickly to clasp my other arm gently in his hand, turning it this way and that to glance over the exposed flesh. Yes, all of the marks had a replica on the opposite limb. He swiped the pad of his thumb very gently over the mark by my wrist and I shivered slightly at the touch, his thumb escalating the warmth that shot through my body whenever he touched me. It was not uncomfortable in the least.

His honey-colored eyes flickered up to meet mine, his hand still holding my arm.

"Do they hurt at all?"

"No. I don't even feel them anymore." It was true that they had stung for a few months after my transformation. It was almost impossible to wear long sleeved clothing; it felt better to wade around in a cold pond somewhere.

"I'm…sorry." His velvet voice held a tinge of distress as he released my arm. I pressed them to my sides, not wanting to gain his pity.

I only shrugged. "Isn't that what is supposed to happen?"

His eyes widened and he shook his head, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Marks like those… They are not typical…"

I had no idea what that meant and he seemed to grasp this from my expression as he continued on.

"Typically, if it is an accidental change, there will be one point of biting, usually around the neck area. But to bite so deliberately in each of these places… It just isn't something that happens during a normal feeding."

He was right, of course. I thought back to each time I had fed from a human. It was a savage, ferocious moment of attack. My teeth would sink in wherever I had been able to find skin and they wouldn't move until the body was drained completely.

The marks I left were not perfectly shaped crescents of teeth marks, but gouges as the throat had been torn by my teeth. But they never felt the tearing of the flesh; they were already dead each time. I always snapped the neck before drinking in order to give them some hope of reprieve.

"So…what does that mean?" I asked, studying the bites for the first time in months. I seldom looked at the ghastly marks.

"Whoever changed you had meant for you to become one of us."

His words, spoken so sternly with dazzling eyes had my breath leaving me in a whoosh. Who would do such a thing? Who would change _me_ – an innocent, _healthy_ human with an entire life ahead of her? It didn't seem fair. I was trapped in this never-ending nightmare of bloodlust, and for what? The vampire who had changed me had abandoned me.

" _Bella_."

I looked to Edward quickly and could practically see the anguished, horrified look that was written across my face through his eyes.

"How were you changed, then?" I asked quickly, wanting to derail the distressed look on his own face. He shouldn't worry about my torment.

"Carlisle changed me while I was dying of the Spanish Influenza. There was no hope for me."

So was this normal, then? For vampires to change other vampires on purpose? But of course, Carlisle had not _stolen_ Edward's life as mine had been stolen. Carlisle had _saved_ Edward's life. He would have died without the bite.

"Carlisle _saved_ you, Edward," I relented. " _I_ was killed."

He didn't say anything, but I could see by his troubled eyes that he understood what I meant, and didn't agree with it either. That made me feel better…. Somewhat.

I took a deep breath and glanced out the window and then back to Edward. My change was in the past; whoever had done this to me had abandoned me and there was nothing to be done. Besides, there were much more pressing matters at the moment – like trying to stay _alive_.

"Did Carlisle change all of you?" I asked, my tone less terrified now. I would have plenty of time to dwell on the negatives; right now the tales of his family would be a welcomed distraction.

"He changed me first, and then his wife, Esme. Rosalie was soon after, and then Emmett." He paused for a moment, his eyes becoming guarded as he stared at me. "We were all dying, and he was only trying to help," he added.

"Of course," I stated quickly with a nod, my eyes widening. Had Edward thought I didn't agree with Carlisle's choices either?

"Like I said – Carlisle _saved_ you all."

Edward only nodded once and then continued after a moment of deliberation.

"We aren't sure where Alice came from – she doesn't know either. Jasper was changed in the nineteenth century by a vampire named Maria. It's not something he likes to speak on. It was a rough upbringing for him, and he has the scars to prove it."

I was shocked into silence by this. "Nineteenth century…. Wow," was all I could rationally come up with. A hint of a smile pulled at Edward's lips and I tried to ignore how it made me feel.

"Carlisle was changed in the sixteen-hundreds," he commented quietly.

"And you all drink from animals?" I asked, not even sure how to respond the previous tidbit. Everyone was so _old_. I was so…infantile.

"Yes…" he trailed off, pursing his lips. "Most of us have had our fair share of humans, though. Except Carlisle and Alice – they were able to refrain from taking human life. It is astounding, of course," he added as my mouth fell open, "But _you_ …" He trailed off, cocking his head to the side.

" _You_ are a newborn of only a year and yet you have been able to control yourself impeccably – in a crowded airport, no less."

He seemed reverent at this fact; awed even. He looked at me as though I was some fascinating idol. I squirmed in my seat beneath his intense gaze.

He leaned closer to me, his eyes widening and melting. The butterscotch color seeping through me, burning me from the inside out.

"How do you do it?" he breathed, his cool breath fanning the air around me. Every thought that had been circling my mind; every astonishment and question about his family and their living habits disappeared instantaneously. There was only me and Edward in that moment. My mind was a cloud of confusion.

"Do…what?" I finally managed to ask.

"Keep your thirst at bay. How could you stand to be around all of those humans while thirsty and _young_! So incredibly _young_!" His voice was but a musical note, velvet and honey dripping through my senses.

"I'm…not sure. I just stop breathing if it becomes too much." I could hardly remember what we were talking about.

Suddenly, he pulled away from me, his liquid eyes forming back to their crystalline gold as he sat back, his body curved towards mine.

"I was surprised you had wanted to hunt animals today," he said after a moment of intensely watching me. My mind was slowly resurfacing; my senses were slowly gaining traction. _Holy…_ This vampire was something else.

"I told you I wanted to switch," I answered slightly breathlessly.

"Yes, but it normally takes _months_ to have the control to do so. We were less than three miles from human civilization which, really, was my own fault. I should have insisted we keep moving further in." He paused, collecting his thoughts.

"But you just simply hunted a few deer as though you had been doing so all your life."

I blinked a few times and sat back in my seat, facing the front of the plane. I couldn't look at him anymore. I _wanted_ to look at him – _god_ I wanted to look at him, but it was hard to focus.

"Um…I don't know. I just…followed the scent."

He seemed appraising again and it was unnerving. If _anyone_ should be appraising, it was _me_ appraising _him_. He was the one who had taught me to do so!

"I must admit," he said after a moment, smiling at me sheepishly. "When I had left to hunt, I wasn't entirely sure you would still be there when I returned."

I remembered the moment of hesitation; the lingering eyes before he had finally retreated into the woods. I was appalled now. If I hadn't done so while hungry, what made him think I would do so when full?!

"You thought I would have gone off to hunt a human?"

He looked shocked, as well. "Of course not! I thought you would have run off; found your own route of escape. Clearly I have no idea where I am headed."

His words hit me like a freight train. Was he tired of dragging me around with him? I was doing _literally_ nothing – I was useless. I only followed what he had planned…

"If you want me to go…" I started, but his brow furrowed and he shook his head vehemently.

"Believe me," he chuckled – it was a lovely sound, "You are a welcome distraction."

 **Thank you for reading and I apologize for the wait! School and work have slowly taken over my life! But no need to worry – I have the day off Monday and I plan on completing another chapter by then, so** _ **hopefully**_ **you will have another update within a couple of days!**


	11. Unheeded

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV (because I skipped a chapter)_

"What's the next move?" I hissed down the phone, watching as Bella's eyes widened at my tone. We were away from any and all prying eyes and ears in the Mexico City International Airport.

" _Unclear, but pointless. Jasper and I are coming to find you."_

I growled at Emmett's adamant tone. We did _not_ have time for this right now. Bella's eyebrows narrowed ever so slightly in distress and I had to look away from her. She was too distracting. Every move she made, every word she said only drew me to her more; only made it that much more frustrating to not have a glimpse into her mind.

"Em, you can't. It's too dangerous."

" _We know where you are, Edward. It will be a lot safer if we are all together. We can protect_ you _; we can protect each_ other. _"_

The crack I had been studying running from the ceiling to the center of the wall blurred in my vision. We couldn't protect each _other_ because I had already put _them_ in danger.

"Has Alice seen anything yet?" I demanded. Emmett's silence told me my answer – she hadn't.

"Call me when she does." I snapped the phone shut with a growl and turned back towards Bella.

Her arms were crossed heatedly over her chest, her eyes glaring into mine. Her irritation was palpable.

" _Why_ won't you tell them where we are? Wouldn't be better if there was a group of us? More vampires to fight the Volturi?"

I was seeing red.

"No, because I don't _want_ to fight the Volturi." Not to mention there wouldn't _be_ a fight – just an all-out blood bath with us on the receiving end. "I've already pulled them in deep enough. They needn't worry about my safety."

She rolled her eyes, but ultimately released her arms and stared up at me in that way that made me feel as though she were the mind reader.

"Well… now what?"

I didn't know any more than _she_ knew, but I couldn't tell her that. I needed to protect her as much as I needed to protect myself…and maybe then some.

"We need to get another car." It would be easier to drive, now that we were already in Mexico. The forgery that Jasper had had Jenks provide for identification and passports had never earned us a second-glance, but I didn't want to risk it now that we were in South America. We needed to remain low-key.

Bella swiveled around, her eyes searching until she glanced out towards the extensive parking lot.

"Get as in buy – or borrow?"

"Borrow," I answered with a smile despite the quickly escalating circumstances. Yes, Bella was a more than welcome distraction.

She didn't argue as we made our way through the parking lot, my head turning left and right as I glanced over the available cars. They were either too old, too slow, or too flashy. We needed something fast and inconspicuous. Most of the cars were already tinted to yield from the Mexican sun. Too bad I didn't have any of the forged license plates with me.

I could feel Bella's eyes on me as I searched and it sent a strange pulse through my body, knowing she was watching me and judging my movements.

"What about that one?"

I looked towards where she was pointing. A black Impala. It was fast and inconspicuous. I wondered if she knew that.

"Car and Driver?" I asked, making my way towards the vehicle. There was no one around that would notice anything strange.

"Huh?"

I laughed, shaking my head. She didn't know it was fast; it was just a chance choice.

She followed me to the driver's side, standing close enough to me that I could smell her lovely scent; feel the building electricity that seemed to follow us everywhere we went. I glanced into the driver's window and stood, peering down at her.

"No key," I commented. It seemed an obvious notion, but the amount of humans that left the key in the car always surprised me.

"I'll have to hot wire it." Rosalie would be proud.

She blinked, staring up at me, her pretty mouth pursing just the slightest. "Do I even want to know what that means?"

I laughed again.

We were on the road in moments, speeding up the onramp as I headed south. I figured Argentina would still be a good option; it was an arbitrary choice, but then again, what else did I have to go on?

"We can stop once we reach Panama and take a plane from there," I said to Bella as I sped down the highway leading away from the airport, three times over the speed limit. The nearly fifty-hour ride would only take about twenty if I kept with this speed – which I wholly intended to.

"Why don't we just stick to planes?" There was curiosity, but also something else in her tone. I glanced over at her to see her bottom lip jutting out just slightly in a pout. She liked the planes.

"Well…" I turned away from looking at her mouth to stare back at the road ahead of me. It was more necessary here than back at home. I had never before driven these streets. "By car, we are much less traceable. The Volturi are very well-equipped. They can see which plane we have taken at what time, and whether or not we landed with a delay, if they wanted to."

It was true. It was how they tended to catch up to vampires that were sought after, unless, of course, they were ravenous, heinous monsters scouring the planet for numerous bloody, unnecessarily obvious kills. _These_ captures required Demetri's assistance. Which they no longer had.

I guess, in a way, if I had done anything to help my family, it was by rendering Demetri useless to the Guard. He could not track them, and I knew they would stay clear of airplanes or anything that would be traceable. Which reminded me…

I pulled the credit card from my wallet quickly and crumbled the plastic easily in my hand.

"What if we need gas?" Bella insisted as she watched in horror.

"Cash."

"Oh. Untraceable?"

I nodded, "Untraceable."

She was quiet for a while and I studied her for a bit as she stared out the passenger side window. She was chewing on her lip again, something she did when deep in thought. It was so _frustrating_ not knowing her thoughts – and knowing that she _could_ lower her shield. I wondered if she would be willing to trade for it. Perhaps I gave her answers to her unrelenting questions for some small moments into her mind.

It was funny how short of a time it was when I had previously thought how _great_ and _soothing_ it would be to be around a shield. To not have to hear the incessant inner ramblings of someone at all times. I was _excited_ to get lost in the silence, but now, I only felt as though I were going completely insane. What I wouldn't _give_ to have a simple glimpse into her convoluted mind. The questions she came out with; her reactions to certain things I said…. It was easy to believe that _her_ mind was the one I coveted most. I didn't _want_ her silence; I wanted her thoughts, bare and unedited.

My wishes came partially true as I was met with her bright scarlet spheres once more, fringed by the delicate, long black lashes. She was beautiful, of course, as vampires were. But it was something _more_ , something beyond vampire beauty. Her beauty held no bounds, but she had this magical, innocent magnificence about her. It was breathtaking and heart wrenching all at once, to gaze upon her loveliness. No wonder she could distract me from the situation at hand, and she did – often.

Her eyes, normally windows to her hidden mind, reflected only two sentiments at the moment: annoyance and amusement.

"Could you _stop_?" she lamented, her voice traveling through me like a siren's call.

My eyebrows raised in questioning.

"I _know_ when you are trying to read my mind. I've told you before – you can't break through no matter how hard you try."

"What if I try hard _and_ I am relentless?" I teased her, my eyes widening innocently. She smiled and shook her head before turning to look back out the window. The smile was still there; it made me grin as I turned back to the road.

The sun, which had been hidden behind the clouds for most of the drive, was slowly moving into view, attempting to press through the car. The tinted windows kept the majority of it out, though, and even though our skin glowed unnaturally, it would not be noticed by driver's on the outside. I watched as it danced behind the trees before returning with full force as I drove.

Bella watched it too, her face practically pressed to the window as she watched with fascination. So she liked the sun as well. Yet another thing we had in common.

The buzzing and jolting of the cellphone as it bounced around in the ashtray disrupted my observing of the reddish tints glinting from Bella's long hair and I quickly snatched it from its placement, silently praying that it was Alice with news and not Emmett with another plan.

It was both.

" _Jane, Alec, and Felix are heading to Red Rock, Canada as we speak."_ Which means they'll be finding Demetri soon.

"How long?"

Bella turned to look up at me, her eyes wide and fearful.

" _Ten hours? I'll know their next move once they get there."_

"Keep us posted." I started to hang up, my foot pressing even harder on the accelerator. They would arrive and leave Red Rock within the same hour, I was certain and then be heading towards Mexico City.

" _Wait!"_ Alice cried, _"There's something else…"_

"What?" I growled, grasping the phone too tightly in my hand. The plastic began to groan against my grip. How much more could we take?

" _We're taking the next flight out to Mexico City –"_

" _Alice!_ " I snarled, jolting forward in my seat. They _couldn't_. The Volturi will be here any _day_.

" _Well, Carlisle, Emmett, and Jazz. Rose, Esme, and I are staying to man the fort back home –"_

"They are _not_ to come here, _Alice._ Stay _together at home._ "

" _Well, I know you are about to hang up on me, so Rosalie wanted me to tell you next time you hot-wire a car, make sure not to mutilate the ignition wires. They'll be easier to work with if they're more salvageable."_

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind," I spat and then snapped the phone shut, tossing it back towards the ashtray. It bounced off, landing squarely in Bella's lap.

"Sorry," I muttered, glancing towards her. Her eyes were still wide, her head staring straight forward.

"Bella," I started, hoping to soothe her – I wasn't sure _how_ , but something had to be said – but the phone buzzed once more, bringing her back to life. She jumped and looked down at the phone before blinking up at me. I nodded, staring away at the road. I would not be talking to the family again until they came up with a better plan than to get themselves _killed._

She flipped open the phone hesitantly and then pressed it to her ear.

"Hello?"

" _I saw that happen as well and, Bella, I must say you are a saint for dealing with dear Edward."_ I rolled my eyes but was happy my sister's words could put a soft smile on Bella's mouth.

" _Esme, Rose, and I are in –"_

"Don't say it, Alice." I barked, knowing she could hear me clearly through the phone. "If Aro catches up to us…" He would read my thoughts and know every detail of every single conversation. She could give _us_ information about the Volturi's whereabouts, but never the family's.

" _You're right, of course. Well, turn off the phone to conserve battery at least."_

Bella pulled the phone from her ear and gawked at the battery life. Twenty percent.

"Okay," Bella complied quickly. "We could turn it on every hour or so for a few minutes and you could call?" Brilliant and beautiful.

" _Yes! Excellent. Not every hour…hm, perhaps every two? It'll give me time to collect more visions until you have a chance to charge the battery or get a new phone."_

"Yes, that will work. Starting at the next two-hour mark."

" _Bella…you are so much easier to deal with than my cynical brother."_ Bella giggled at that, shooting me a glance, but I could only roll my eyes and shake my head.

"Bye, Alice, and thank you. So much."

" _My pleasure,"_ Alice charmed in her sing-song voice before hanging up.

"Your family is…" Bella trailed off, shaking her head as she smiled.

"Amazing, I know," I acquiesced softly.

Amazing and _alive_ , for now…

 **Oh, cynical Edward. Whatever shall we do with you?**

 **And, yes, Edward will be driving very, very fast.**

 **Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! The chapter was a little later than I had hoped, sorry about that!**


	12. Tongue-tied

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Bella POV_

After three two-hour-mark phone calls, the battery on the phone was nearly dead and the car was running low on gas. I kept glancing at Edward, but he didn't seem to care about either situation as he floored the car. For the past seven hours, we had sped past every single vehicle on the road, only slowing when Edward picked up a cop via mind reading.

We were making excellent time, or so I assumed, as I watched the sign welcoming us to the country line of Guatemala fly by us. I wasn't sure whether I had ever traveled to South America as a human, so I was trying to take in the flying sights around us but it was increasingly difficult with the weight of the last conversation on my mind.

Jane, Alec, and Felix had arrived in Canada a lot sooner than preempted – even Alice's visions were not certain – and they would be quickly making a turn towards Mexico. Or so Edward was convinced.

His relentless questioning of anything about me – my life as a human (there were very little memories to share), my hobbies as a vampire, where I had traveled as a vampire, where I had _wanted_ to travel, my favorite books, favorite music, favorite color, flower, gemstone, sport, season, _tree_ …had come to an unfulfilled – for him – end after the vision. It was breathtaking, to say the least, how absorbed he was in each answer and I knew there were plenty more questions, but he was silently brooding as he pushed the car way past its limits.

"Edward…" I tried again for the hundredth time, my eyes on the gas gauge.

He heaved a sigh before nodding softly, pulling quickly over towards the next exit ramp. Again, it was close and we were in the furthest lane from the ramp. Blaring horns followed us as Edward accosted all three lanes without a glance around him.

We pulled up to a gas station and Edward got out quickly, his face a set stone as he made his way to the attendant to pay for the gas. I pulled on the sunglasses and hopped out as well. The sun was hidden behind a cloud cover, but night was falling quickly. Even if the sun _was_ out, it wouldn't do much damage with its waning rays.

Edward turned to watch me as I wandered to the store front.

"I'll see if they have any phones," I offered, holding out my hand for some of the money. We had stopped at a bank shortly before Alice's terrible vision to withdraw a good sum of money.

"I'll come with you," he resolved, but I shook my head.

"Fill the car; I can do this." At least, I hoped I could do this. But it was time I pulled my own weight.

He didn't answer but I quickly scurried off towards the old glass door of the small convenience store. I would come back for the money if I found something.

"Buenas noches!" The clerk called to me over his paper. I smiled back at him and his eyes widened as he took me in.

"Is there something you need, miss?" His English was broken, but the seductive tone was universal across languages. He licked his lips.

"I'll be fine, thank you," I answered as politely as I could as I charged towards the electronic section. There were radios, cigarette lighters for cars, earbuds, flashlights, audio sets for cars… There were no cellphones. There was, however, the lingering sent of human blood and a heavy scent of spearmint as the clerk bristled his way from the counter to me.

I turned quickly, smiling sharply at him. It was a typical way to frighten off the humans. It didn't deter him though, and I knew the sunglasses were not helping my situation. There was nothing to be worried about, of course. I could easily take him if he tried anything at all, but the point was to remain inconspicuous, not be caught on camera hefting a two-hundred-pound man through a glass window with one finger.

"We have some other things you may be looking for, miss." He had reached me by then, his hand moving to pick up a strand of my hair but I quickly dodged the approach and moved to scoot around him.

"I'm all set."

The ringing of the bell above the door distracted the man as he glanced towards the customer and his expression of lust dropped to one of horror. Edward strolled in slowly, his stance and movements casual, but his face was anything but as he took in the human standing before me. He looked like a vampire – his eyes hard and black despite having fed, his nostrils flared in anger, his jaw set in a clench.

Yes, he looked like an angry, _beautiful,_ god-like vampire.

I skirted around the man delicately, careful not to touch him at all and made to stand beside Edward. He grasped my hand as he had hours ago in the woods outside of Mexico City and pulled me along with him. I followed willingly.

He didn't calm until we were speeding back onto the on ramp, his clenched jaw slowly relaxing.

"What was he thinking?" I asked quietly. Edward's eyes, now lightening again to their golden hue, flickered to mine and then away.

"A lot of things, Bella."

I dropped the subject, figuring it would be better off if I didn't know.

"I could have handled myself you know," I commented softly, staring out the window. I felt Edward's gaze linger on my face.

"I know." He sounded uncertain.

"They didn't have any phones," I said, trying to pull away from the event in the small store. Nothing would have happened; it was pointless to linger on what-ifs.

"And this one needs to be charged."

Edward sighed heavily, his hands clenching around the wheel briefly. "I know."

The fourth two-hour mark was nearly up, so I turned on the phone and only had to wait a matter of seconds before it buzzed to life. I answered quickly, ignoring Edward's outstretched hand. He would only become angry and hang up.

" _Bella, you can stop at a hotel to charge the phone. Rosalie made you guys a reserva_ _tion at the Barceló for the night under the name Wilson. You won't have identification, so you'll need the reference number zero-three-two-zero-one-one-one. Got it?"_

"Yes," I answered, happy to be getting out of the car for a change. It was ultimately fine; vampires did not need to get out and stretch as humans did, but it would be nice to be elsewhere. And perhaps hunt and shower once more.

"We shouldn't be stopping, Alice," Edward seethed, speeding once more.

" _And you'll want to switch out cars once there. Yours is coming up as stolen at the moment. You don't need vampire_ and _human authoritative figures after you."_ She laughed at that, a pristine, bell-like giggle.

" _We'll call once you arrive and are plugged in. The family is desperate to speak with you. You_ did _pack the cord, right Edward?"_ He only rolled his eyes and Alice laughed once again.

"Have you seen anything else, Alice?" I asked, attempting to keep my voice under control. Edward looked at me, a concerned expression crossing his face. His right hand loosened on the wheel and I thought for one wild moment that he was going to grasp my hand again, but he didn't. His hand tightened again and he looked forward, his face impassive once more.

" _Nothing that will put you in immediate danger tonight. They are planning to stop by Forks."_ Edward's head swiveled faster than lightning to stare at the phone, his face a river of fear.

"They're not there," I reminded him quietly. His eyes flickered to mine and the terror quelled minutely.

" _Yes, and thank you for that, Edward,"_ Alice amended. _"Your phone is going to die. We'll talk soon."_

Her voice ended with a disconnected beeping and then the screen flashed against my cheek as the phone turned off, the battery shot. I looked back to Edward and he was anxiously running a hand through his bronze hair, his brow creased in a permanent grimace. He looked so concerned, it was heartbreaking.

Quickly, without overthinking the action, I pulled his right hand from his hair, yanking it back down to the center console of the car. I squeezed his hand, looking up at him. He stared at me, shocked, his lips parted ever so slightly.

"They are going to be fine," I avowed, putting as much meaning behind each word as possible. "You've warned them away from Forks. There is nothing there that can lead to where they have gone. You are being so careful, so diligent in the information you take from them. If Aro catches up to us, he will know nothing from your thoughts." My words were coming out as harsh whispers now as a burning desire ran through me to make sure he was _okay_. To make sure he realized that his family was – and is – _safe_ because of him.

"And if it makes you feel better, I can destroy the phone right this second. Sure, we will be in the dark, but Aro will not be able to hear any more of these conversations. And Emmett and Jasper and Carlisle won't know where we are because we can make quick, hasty decisions. That's how it works, right? Based on decisions?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes wide as he stared at me as though in some sort of trance. I still held his hand in mine, my fingers gripped tightly around the back of his hand. Now was not the time for the shooting electricity or the intrepid warmth, but it was there. Oh, it was there.

"And even if they do happen to catch up to us, we will convince them to go back to the others. You have to realize, Edward, they aren't doing this to go against your wishes. They _love_ you and care for you deeply – they only want you safe, and if by giving up their own safety, they are adding a little to yours, they will do that. For _you_. The same way you are doing this for _them_."

I stopped talking, realizing that I was now clasping his right hand in both of mine, practically pleading with him to hear my words and accept them. I let out a deep breath, his glazed eyes slowly refocusing on my face and I realized that the car was stopped. We were in front of a large, tall, glimmering building. Barceló, I figured. I glanced around, letting go of his hand, but he caught my left hand quickly in his. I looked back at him, shocked.

He interlaced our fingers and squeezed gently, heat pulsing through my body at the touch.

"Thank you," he breathed and his cool breath swirled the air between us, ravaging my senses as it had before. He really smelled incredible. I wanted nothing more than to lean closer, so I inhaled sharply and held the breath with a small, shy smile.

"You've calmed me," he remarked, his own expression shocked at the notion. "Not many can do that."

I shot him a wider smile. "Definitely not Alice."

He laughed, a carefree, musical laugh that I hadn't heard in a while.

"No," he agreed, "Not Alice." His eyes stared into mine a moment longer, the liquid gold melting unfathomably until the air charged and prickled with the tensed electricity.

A knock on the driver's side window drove us apart and I realized how close we had leaned towards each other as the spell was broken, both of our bodies moving quickly to our own sides, our hands detaching. I could still feel his desirable touch, though.

"Welcome to the Barceló," the man stated as Edward rolled down the automatic window.

"Valet?"

"No thank you. Self-park, please," Edward answered smoothly. The man nodded and stepped back from the car, motioning with his gloved hand to follow down the slanted ramp. Edward did as was told.

"No valet?" I asked, slightly surprised. My voice was slightly breathless, the air still charged just the slightest and when Edward turned to glance at me, my insides felt as though they were melting.

"No. We will need to leave the car and take another, as Alice requested."

 _Ah._ We would be committing another crime, though, somehow, I felt it was not criminal if you are a supernatural being running from other supernatural beings.

We parked in a damp, dark space in the parking garage and I noticed Edward do a quick sweep of the potential cars already lined up, his eyes resting on a dark red, sporty vehicle.

"A bit flashy, don't you think?"

He smiled at me and nodded reluctantly. So he liked cars. It was nice to know.

I followed as he walked through the vast center just outside of the hotel. It was very dark now, but there were many round lights illuminating a large sign that read the name of the hotel. There were also small lights pinned alongside each curve of the tall hotel and I watched, amazed. My vampire days had never seen anything this extravagant. I mainly stuck to the woods.

I felt very under-dressed as Edward pulled aside the large frosted glass door, allowing me to step inside first. I only stepped in and then to the side, letting him take the lead once more. He cocked his head and smiled at me, amused. I followed to a lavish desk that held two separate, large fish tanks. They smelled dreadful – nothing like the fresh pond water surrounding the Canadian woods. This water smelled of chemicals and formulated salts. I wrinkled my nose, watching the fish swim in their small environments.

"Welcome to Barceló…" The woman's voice trailed off and I looked up quickly to see what had happened, but she was only staring at Edward as he leaned forward slightly.

 _Oh._ Edward had happened. I honestly didn't blame her for the stammering and flushing as Edward relented his hypnotic golden eyes and unequivocal hushed velvet voice. I watched, slightly entranced as the blood pooled to her skin, but looked away quickly before it could become uncomfortable.

 _Animals._ I was hunting _animals._

It wasn't long before Edward was repeating the reference number and after a few clicks against the small keyboard, a small white card was being flashed before us. Edward took it quickly, smiling widely at the receptionist and she looked as though she may faint. He didn't have to do _that_ , I thought, smiling at the poor girl. She only blinked, rightfully dazzled.

"You didn't have to do that," I admonished Edward as we stepped into the large elevator, repeating my thoughts.

"Do what?" he asked, looking down at me with confusion. My breath that I had been pulling in once away from the humans in the lobby caught in my throat as I took in his appearance under the bright elevator lights. His bronze hair glimmered in a million different shades of red and brown, his perfectly clear skin seemed almost translucent, and his eyes were the warmest butterscotch once again, and were roaming over my eyes intently.

"Do _what_?" he repeated, a little more forcefully. I could feel the familiar tug at my shield and smiled.

"Dazzle her like that."

"Dazzle?"

"Yes." I glanced up at the small speaker in the corner of the elevator crooning with soft, yet annoying music. "She's probably hyperventilating in the back office right now."

He didn't answer, only looked away in thought as his eyes trailed to where mine were looking. We stared at the small box together, his features becoming more and more revolted by the keening saxophone.

"This is atrocious," he commented and I laughed.

The elevator opened with a soft ping and he swept his arm out for me to exit first. I wondered if his aristocratic ways were from the century he was born in. I noticed from my periphery as I stepped out that he was running his hand through his hair again and I turned to look at him, hoping he wasn't falling into another panic. He wasn't; a small smile was tugging at his lips as his bright eyes fell to mine.

"Do I dazzle _you_?" he asked suddenly, sticking the white plastic card into a box with a small slit beside a large, wooden door. He wasn't looking at me, but I knew that if I was human, I would be blushing just as much as the receptionist from downstairs – if not more.

"Frequently," I admitted. The smile pulled into the lopsided grin I had seen once before and was quickly becoming obsessed with. I turned away quickly and distracted myself with looking around the room. And then, it wasn't a distraction, but an admiration. The room was enormous with a large opening that had an equally as large bowed window, framed by light beige curtains. There was a couch, a fireplace, a desk, an oversized television, a table with chairs… Almost anything that a human could need, a human could find here.

"We won't need the bedrooms," Edward stated and I looked away quickly, remembering the feel of my hand in his. "But you are welcome to whichever one you'd like."

He tossed the duffel bag on the dark gray couch and I hesitated in the center of the room, staring out the window. There was an entire section of forest beside us.

"Actually…" I trailed off, turning on my heel to look up at him. He was watching me curiously.

"Could we hunt again?"

He smiled. "Of course."

I watched as he moved around me, checking the window. He opened it slightly, and then slid it even further, the entire glass pane giving way as it slid towards the other side.

"We could jump and not have to worry about your clothes being covered in blood," he stated, glancing down the side of the hotel. "No one would notice us."

I nodded, and then remembered the cell phone and Alice and the rest of the Cullens. I turned quickly, grabbing the phone from my pocket and opening the duffel bag. I dug around until I found the charger and handed the pieces to Edward.

"Your family, I'm sure, is dying to speak with you."

He rolled his eyes, but complied nonetheless, taking the phone and cord from my fingers and plugging them into the wall. It took a few minutes before the screen lit up with a small tune. Moments after that, there was a vibration against the glass table it was on – an incoming call.

Edward answered softly and I grinned. He was calmer now; less frantic.

" _Edward."_ A women's voice crooned over the phone, soft and relieved.

" _Mom_ ," Edward replied with just as much love and affection, sitting on the chair by the table. I wanted to listen, I really did, but I figured he would enjoy some privacy with his family. It was, after all, a possibility that he would never be able to see them again. The thought gripped me tightly, coldly, as I thought about Edward in the hands of Aro and his brothers.

Maybe they would let him go. It was _me_ they were after, after all. Maybe they wouldn't…kill…him and let him finish his time with the Guard. Maybe I could _convince_ them to keep me instead. Each thought was harrowing, but quickly I escaped to the closest bedroom and shut the door quietly.

Now was not the time to focus on the negatives. I had been able to calm Edward and now he could converse with each member of his family – _these_ were positives that almost outweighed the negatives.

 **OH MY GOD. I am SO sorry it has taken me so long to update, so I am giving you guys two chapters at once for being so patient! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and next chapter there will be a bit more of the Edward/Bella interaction you have all been waiting for, I'm sure (unless, of course, you are a Jacob fan – but he will not be in this story; sorry!).**

 **Oh, and I stole the whole "Do I dazzle you," scene from Twilight…. I just loved it so much.**


	13. Ice

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

I watched as Bella retreated silently to the room furthest from me, the door closing nearly silently. I really hoped she wasn't leaving for my sake. I wanted her near me for some unfathomable reason.

" _I know I can't convince you to come home, but I really wish you would. I would really love for the family to stay together."_ Esme's voice was like a drug to me at the moment. How I had missed my mother figure.

"You know I can't do that, but you know that I wish I could."

" _I know."_ I could hear the sad smile in her voice.

" _Are you hunting? You cannot starve yourself during your travels."_

"Yes," I had the decency to laugh slightly at this. "I have already hunted and will do so again tonight."

" _That is good, I am happy to hear it. How are you doing, son?"_

I knew her question was about more than just these past couple of days. She meant in general; as a whole over the past two years. I hadn't spoken to my family much since I left for Italy but it was, again, a way to protect them. It was atrocious not letting them know the exact reason I had left, but I needed them to think I had _wanted_ to join. Carlisle would have flown to Italy right then and there if he even had an inkling of what Aro had in mind.

He would have easily given himself up – rejoin the Volturi – if it meant keeping his family out of harm. And now I was doing the same.

"Please don't worry about me, mom."

" _That's a nearly impossible request,"_ she countered and I sighed, hanging my head.

"I'm doing all right, aside from the obvious." And Bella had a lot to do with my calmed emotions.

" _Don't run yourself into hopelessness, Edward. We are always here for you. As soon as you ask for the help, we will be there."_

I smiled despite myself.

"Thank you, mom, I love you so much."

" _I love you too, Edward. Tell Bella that I said hello. Rosalie would like to speak with you."_

I was slightly surprised by this – not because Rosalie and I were uncivil towards one another, but we often went about our lives as though the other simply did not exist in the house. It was a mutual emotion. We were too much alike. We butted heads too often and it was easier to remain amicable through polite greetings and nothing more.

" _Hello, Edward. I only wanted to wish you well and to let you know that if you need anything, I am here for you. The whole family is here for you. We miss you and we only want you home safely."_

"Thank you, Rosalie. I miss you as well." It was true. Rosalie was great company for certain, limited – _very_ limited – conversations.

" _Alice tells me you are stealing another car. Try to get one with a V6 engine. It's what I use for the BMW and the Ferrari – it'll give you the best speed and endurance."_

"Thank you," I repeated, slightly choked up with her desire to help. "I will keep that in mind."

" _Here's the pixie."_

I chuckled at our endearing – well, _sometimes_ endearing – term for Alice.

" _Edward, the Volturi are giving me next to nothing. Alec, Jane, and Felix haven't made any more decisions, and neither has Aro."_ Her tone was decidedly petulant.

"Keep an eye out. If they had anywhere towards where you are – leave."

" _Yes, Edward, we know. Don't worry about us, please."_

"Okay, let me talk to Carlisle," I pleaded, not wanting to dwell on the idea of the Volturi traveling closer to the family.

Alice was silent over the line and after a horrifying moment, I knew why.

" _Alice!_ " I was practically choking on my fear. "I _told_ you not to let them come here!"

" _I tried to stop them, Edward, but you know how Jazz and Em are. They were ecstatic at the thought of confronting the three Volturi. Carlisle wanted to follow your request, but he didn't want to leave Jasper and Emmett to fend for themselves, either."_

I stood up quickly, speaking softly so that Bella would not hear from the bedroom. She had already seen – and healed – one anxiety attack today, I didn't need to put her through another of mine.

"You don't know what Alec and Jane are capable of, Alice. If Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper try to fight them, they won't make it home; let's say that." My words were a deadly, harsh whisper and I heard Alice's sharp intake of breath.

" _Okay, okay. Their flight doesn't leave for another two hours. I'll get a hold of them and tell them to come back."_

I heard Rosalie insisting that she call at that very moment, her terror for harm coming to Emmett ringing through just as clearly as Alice's terror of harm coming to Jasper. They all loved their mates dearly; they were their absolute lifelines. They would not forfeit their lives to save mine, which was exactly what I had hoped for.

"I'm going now. Call if anything changes," I practically growled down the line, the thought of the three of them getting on the plane regardless of Alice's begging making me lose control of my calmed state. I shut the phone quickly, shaking my hands desperately as my eyes zeroed in on the door that Bella was behind.

I needed to see her, to hear her talk, to hear her laugh…. Something, _anything_ that would take my mind off of the growing panic.

 _Hunting_. She wanted to go hunting.

I knocked quickly, hurriedly, barely even waiting for her invitation of my presence as I swung the door open, my eyes seeking her out. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, curled forward, a small pamphlet spread across her lap. Her scarlet eyes widened as she took in my expression and she reached out towards me with her hand, beckoning me to sit with her.

I did so happily, contentedly, thankfully; my muscles already relaxing as I inhaled her freesia scent. I took her hand in mine again – such a simple movement, and yet one so intimate, so familiar already as her skin burned mine where she touched, sending jolts of pleasure throughout my body. What was this? Why did I absolutely crave her touch so much suddenly? Why, when I stared back into her endless ruby eyes, did I feel as though I knew my exact place in the world?

The senses attacking me were too much – fear, panic, anxiety, apprehension. And yet when I was with Bella, when I simply sat _beside_ her, I felt them all melt to puddles beneath my feet. They weren't buried, but completely gone. I had the sudden urge to pull her to me, to hold her, to run my fingers through her hair, to touch her soft, delicate face, to run a finger over her full lips… Anything to quell the burning desire within me to simply be _close_ to her.

Her hand tightened in mine momentarily as her large eyes searched my face closely, searching for…what?

"Are you all right?" she asked. I only nodded my answer. If I was staring into her eyes, for some reason, I was always all right.

"Hunting?" I proposed, not wanting to talk about the phone call. Not wanting to talk about the unexpected, expected disappearance of my brothers and father. I only wanted to be with _her_ , in the woods, by ourselves.

She smiled softly after a moment, her beautiful face lighting up as she nodded eagerly.

 _Okay._

"I was thinking…" she said as I led her out of the bedroom, holding onto her hand as though it were a life preserver and I was drowning in the middle of the ocean, "…that maybe we shouldn't jump? Won't there be cameras around the hotel?"

I shook my head with a smile. "We'll be quick. They won't catch anything. We can jump together." I was only being selfish. I wasn't suggesting we jump together to appease her fear that someone might see us on video; I only didn't want to let go of her hand just yet.

She seemed okay with this, even if she wasn't aware as she looked up at me, her ruby eyes glimmering.

"Okay," she smiled and let me lead her to the windowsill. She was so trusting. She _shouldn't_ trust me – I was going to get us both killed.

We free-fell onto the soft ground below, our feet making no sound to the humans above. No one had noticed; no one had heard.

She didn't need to feed, I realized as I glanced over at her. Her eyes were a deep red, her pale, creamy skin still held the slight flush of a recent feeding, but I realized with a glimmer of humor that she probably wanted to hunt to change her eye color faster. That was fine; I was willing to give her anything if she kept making me feel like this.

We had to run further into the forest this time as there weren't as many trees surrounding the area. The highway seemed to stretch for ages, too loud for mammals to venture very close. But the further we ran, the more sounds of the wild sprang to life. We ended up by a mountainside before Bella stopped running, halting me with her. I stayed close beside her, reveling in the constant electricity buzzing between my body and hers. As long as I could feel it, she was there; and as long as she was there, the panic was subdued.

"It sounds like a waterfall," she remarked, her eyebrows raising delicately. I listened intently. She was right.

"Come," I directed, tugging on her arm and pulling her towards the running water.

"It's beautiful." She gaped at the waterfall beneath the moon's light, her eyes trailing over the pouring water, almost luminescent at the moment. I reached forward, gazing intently at the large boulders surrounding the falls. They had markings on them; pictures and words carved into the rock. I assumed this was a place the local children often visited. But I could also hear, which was slightly disconcerting, the mercurial sounds of a jaguar a few yards away. Bella dropped my hand to investigate the water and I stepped away from her briefly.

She turned to glance at me, wondering where I was off to and I motioned up towards the forested highland. She listened intently and then smiled with a nod, turning back to the water. She was telling me to go ahead. I stared for a single second, again hoping she would still be here when I returned, but _knowing_ that she would and I hurried off in the direction of the quiet rumbling.

The jaguar had spotted us by the waterfall and whether it was looking for an easy meal or simply a drink of water, it had found its match. I stared at the magnificent creature from a few yards away. It hadn't seen me just yet. Its eyes were still on the waterfall. I crouched, readying my limbs and muscles as my mouth readied with a flow of venom. In Italy, I had stuck mainly to bears and small foxes. It had been a good while since I was able to devour a feline. It had been even longer since I was able to capture a mountain lion.

But that fantasy would have to wait.

I pounced, not making a single sound as I leapt towards the great animal, tackling him to the ground quickly. He barely had time to put up a fight before I snapped his neck, my teeth gouging into the side of his jugular at almost the same moment. The liquid spilled into me hot and fast; tempting, delicious and I could feel something else building up within me. Something equally as tempting and delicious. It was an emotion I had often heard in my siblings' thoughts and even, unfortunately, my parents. They would hunt with their partner and the aftermath would be fervent, passionate, obsessive almost. The feelings built to a peak within me and I growled, the feeling rumbling deep through my chest and settling deeper still into a more-or-less forgotten anatomy of my body.

I took off, my only desire to find Bella, but she was not at the waterfall. I stood, leaning against the large boulder and raking in the calming night air. I needed to _stop._ I needed to _relax_ and _not_ find Bella and jump her the moment I saw her. All of these senses confused me greatly and I closed my eyes, letting the sound of the trickling water wash out the earlier feelings of desire and need that had soared so deeply, so passionately within me. I wasn't sure _what_ this was, but I didn't think it was strictly the aftermath of living within the walls of Volterra for two years. No. This was strictly the aftermath of being around _Bella_ for a few _days_.

I waited, patiently…impatiently, for Bella to return and was happy when she showed up – her eyes wild, her clothing slightly tattered and bloodied – that I had worked so hard to control the burning desire within me. It was quelled now, but the fiery look to her features was enough to bring it back. I swallowed roughly, skimming my hand through the water. It was cold to a human, but barely uncomfortable to a vampire.

"How many this time?" I asked with a smile.

"It was a little fox and then some sort of puma." She was practically beaming with her happiness, recounting her hunt. "The carnivores are more fun."

I chuckled. She was right. They were.

I held my hand out to her and she looked at it with a small smile before curling her fingers around and through mine. We walked back slowly, not even bothering to run. She glanced up at me every once in a while from beneath her lashes and the silence of her mind was weighing on me. She was studying the ground, now, as we walked and I turned to gaze at her.

"What are you thinking?" I asked after an unbelievably long and painful minute of trying _not_ to break through her shield. I don't think she liked when I did.

"Oh…" she trailed off, glancing up towards the trees. "Just that animal blood is a lot more delightful than I thought it would be." I knew that wasn't all she had been thinking. She would not have been thinking about the taste of animal blood for the past twenty minutes as we walked through the dark woods, but I couldn't press her for more, no matter how dreadfully I wished to.

Maddening.

She fingered her long locks distractedly, glancing around. Blood had engorged itself through her hair and there were more splatters of it on her bare skin than the last time we had hunted. Carnivores were more fun, but definitely messier.

"I don't think I've ever been to South America," she pondered, looking up at me. How would she know? She could barely remember her human life. My eyes trailed to the bite marks marring the beautiful skin of her arms, wondering whether the amount of venom that had obviously flowed through her body had anything to do with that.

"And why do you think that?"

"I was looking over a pamphlet of places to visit in South America that I had found in one of the drawers in the bedroom, and nothing seemed familiar at all."

"I thought you couldn't remember any places you had been?" I asked, staring down at her, curiosity warping my tone.

"I don't, really…" she trailed off, her lips pursing. "I remember one thing… It's very strange and specific, yet…not."

I waited patiently for her to continue. I was eager to learn anything about her that I could.

"It's only this obscure image of a cactus alongside a road with a wooden sign beneath it that has an arrow pointing up towards the sky." She glanced up towards the stars as though the image alone could give her the answers she was searching for. "It doesn't make sense, but I think it's the only clue to where I had lived as a human."

My mind ran through all of the possible places that held cacti-like growth. Assuming she was from the North American continent, I flipped through the deserts I had seen and some I had only read about, everywhere from Washington, to Wyoming, to Oregon, to Nevada, to California, all the way to Texas… The list was endless and she was right, unfortunately. Her muddied image gave us almost nothing to go on.

"That and your last name," I pointed out, not wanting her to become too upset with the notion of never finding her birth place.

"Right," she scoffed. "Like there aren't a million Swans living in the world."

I shrugged. "You'd be surprised."

There was much to be done with a name. Birth records, death records, military records, occupational records, health records…

"We have your full name. I'm sure your mother and father can be traced from that."

She stopped walking suddenly, her large eyes turning up to find mine in the dark. We were nearly at the hotel by now and I was loath to let her go. My hand memorized the feel of her fingers intertwined in mine.

"Really?" she asked, stunned.

I nodded. "Carlisle and Jasper have a way of tracing back history. They've done it for almost all of us."

Save Alice, of course.

She pondered this for a moment and I could only hope that we would survive this long enough _to_ trace back her history.

 **Hopefully it won't be another ten days before I update again, but hey! You got two chapters out of it! Thank you so much for your patience and for your continued interest in my story! It means a lot to me, and I truly appreciate all of you!**


	14. Grasp

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Bella POV_

Edward's tantalizing, yet soft grip on my hand didn't let up until we leapt back through the large window leading to our hotel room. We had had to be more careful this time. It was later at night, but it seemed there were more humans around to check in to the hotel. He released my fingers from his grasp, almost reluctantly, and I wondered whether it had to do with the conversation with this family. The way he had looked when he had bolted into the bedroom after hanging up had been heartbreaking, to say the least. His eyes had held the wanton sadness and panic that they had in the car, but I couldn't help but to notice the sensations slowly ebbing away as soon as he grasped my hand in his.

I hoped that I could help him in this small, enjoyable way.

I watched as Edward moved around the long table to grab the duffel bag, emptying it of its contents. A cluster of random articles of clothing spilled across the couch along with the hairbrush and shampoo. _A shower._

"By the way, Esme says hello."

I looked up from the spellbinding bottle draped across the pair of jeans to find Edward watching me, his dark eyebrows raised ever so slightly. I was stunned for a moment, not sure what to say. The greeting was unexpected, at most, but gracious as well. The Cullens were clearly very warm and welcoming – even with a vampire they had never met.

There was a strange prickling sensation in the back of my eyes that I had not felt since the morning I had awoken as a vampire, lying beneath the sun soaked sky of the forest, writhing and glittering in the rays. Back then, I had attempted to sob my confusion away; now I only wanted to sob out of acceptance. I had not had any sort of familial relation with anyone in over a year, much less one between a mother and daughter.

"That's really nice of her," I managed to croak out, my throat tightening with a different pain.

Edward smiled softly, understanding flickering across his face.

"And, good news," he added, stepping closer to me. He leaned down, studying my face momentarily before a wide smile pulled at his mouth. "You have golden specks in your eyes. It shouldn't be long now."

His smile was infectious, as was my enthusiasm as he laughed. He held the shampoo and hairbrush out to me, jerking his chin back towards the bedroom.

"Go shower. I know you are dying to do so."

I hurried off with a smirk, excitement over my new irises shrouding my mind as I dashed to the large mirror covering the far bathroom wall. The gold was minuscule, but it was there. My eyes weren't the bright ruby-red color of human blood, but a softer, orange-tinted crimson. I bit my lip as another smile threatened to break through.

* * *

I kept the water temperature to a scalding degree; I was certain human skin would not be able to handle the heat. But the warmth seemed to seep through my granite skin, warming me from the inside out until I had taken up as much time as I dared beneath the scorching waterfall.

I hadn't realized until I slid the glass wall of the shower aside that I hadn't even thought to pick up any clothing from the other room. The towel wrapped tightly around me and my hair dripping lengthily down my back, I peered around the door to the bedroom, unsure whether I was hoping for Edward's absence – or his presence.

The warmth from the shower had quickly built into something more – something feverish as I recalled the darkening of Edward's irises as he had watched me return from hunting earlier tonight. The sensations had compiled so much so that I had had to intently focusing on washing the blood and dirt from my hair and skin so as not to seek out Edward from the next room. I had only known him for a few days and yet I felt as though every new detail that I learned about him, every fact about his life – vampire or human – created another desire for him within me. I wanted to get to know him as _him_ , but I also wanted to know him in other, more unfamiliar ways as well. Ways that would have sent my face afire had I been human.

I was so innocent in such matters; so naïve. It was insane, really, that Edward Cullen could pull these desires from me after only two and a half days.

I took a deep breath, trying to rid myself of such intrusive thoughts before facing Edward – naked, save the towel. He was getting better at reading me and I could only imagine what he would see in my face after such wanton thoughts. It was too humiliating to even consider.

Thankfully, Edward was not to be found and I quickly bounded across the room, grasped the first clothing I saw, and leapt back to safety.

More jeans and a dark red long-sleeved shirt made of satin material. I wondered whether Edward had chosen the clothing purposefully or just thrown whatever his hands touched first, into the duffel. Most likely the latter.

Although, I realized as I sat on the couch, glancing out over the eccentrically bustling highway and views from the lofty floor the room was situated on, that Edward was always dressed immaculately.

He left the opposite bedroom wearing black slacks and a white, button-down linen shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows. I wondered if he knew what the sight of his toned forearms did to me. His hair was dark and wet – clearly he had also showered and I wondered abruptly why we hadn't showered together.

I turned from him quickly, my eye widening large as saucers at my wayward thoughts. This was not the time and clearly _not_ appropriate.

He moved to sit beside me on the couch, putting a great deal of space between us as he reached for the remote, not yet flicking on the oversized television.

"Alice called while you were showering."

I steadied my expression and turned to look up at his honey eyes; mesmerizing.

"And?"

"Alec, Jane, and Felix found Demetri's body. It's changed their course just slightly." I noticed as I studied his profile just how immobile his face was; stoic. But I knew him too well after all the hours we had spent together. I knew he was anything but.

"What is their course now?" My voice shook just slightly. Would they be making a quick detour to South America? Did they know we were here? Edward's head turned slowly, his eyes finding mine – passive, and yet worried at the same time.

"They touched base with Italy and they are looking into my whereabouts now. Alice thinks that Aro will not bother searching for the rest of them since he knows I will stay away to protect them."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. At least the Cullens would be safe. They had Edward to thank for that.

"How are they going to do that?" I asked. He watched me curiously for a moment before dragging a hand through his hair, his hardened exterior melting quickly.

"I'm not sure. They will probably analyze any flights that have left the area." He hung his head as though ashamed, "We shouldn't have taken a flight out of Seattle. It would have been safer to drive."

I stared at him, astonished and overwhelmingly guilty. I was the one who had suggested the flight.

"I'm…sorry. I shouldn't have… This is my fault, then –"

Edward's head snapped up and then to me, his eyes widening as he shook his head vehemently. " _No_ ," he insisted. "You didn't know – _I_ knew better. I should have told you of the potential consequences. This falls on me. All of this falls on me. _I_ am the one who worked with the Guard for two years; I _know_ how it works and I knew this was a possibility. I am truly sorry, Bella. We will stay clear of airports from now on, but I'd understand if you want to go out on your own. Please – don't hesitate to do so."

He was right – I hadn't known of this consequence and if I had, surely I would have avoided it at all costs. But Edward was no more to blame than me. This was my first time, and I assumed his as well, running from such authoritative figures.

"Don't place the blame on yourself," I ordered, running a hand through the ends of my drenched hair nervously. It seemed his habit was rubbing off on me. "We chose the fastest route that would take us to Mexico. If we hadn't, we may have been close to Canada when they arrived. Flying at least took us thousands of miles away in just hours."

He didn't answer, but it seemed he was weighing my argument. Suddenly, the ending of his opinion on the matter caught up to my running mind.

"Go out on my own?! Why would I want to do that?"

"You told me you would stay until a better opportunity came along." He shifted in his seat slightly, turning to glance out at the dark highway as though expecting the Volturi to arrive within the second. He spoke softly, quietly and I wasn't even sure I was supposed to hear, "Clearly, this opportunity has perished."

I had said that, hadn't I. How little he knew of how desperate I had come to stay by his side.

"Edward." His head turned at my insistent tone, his luminous golden eyes immediately finding mine. "I only said that because I had woken up in the backseat of the car of one half of a vampire duo whose main goal was to ship me off to Italy. Forgive me if I wasn't immediately trusting of your supposed escape plan." His eyebrows rose at my spiel, evidently finding some humor to it. Well, good. I was glad he could.

"Besides," I finished, turning away from him and leaning back against the couch, "I won't leave you."

I could feel his forceful eyes on the side of my face, the insistent probing against my mental shield. I could only hope he wouldn't ask what that meant, because, honestly…I couldn't tell him even if I wanted to. Perhaps it _was_ because he was the only one with a plan to escape – his family aiding in that strategy. Or, perhaps it was more. The way he watched me, the feel of his alabaster hand in mine, the way he spoke to me, the never-ending interest I held for him…

It was more, and I wasn't entirely sure what more _was._

We were silent for a moment and I didn't look back to him until he had turned away, a crease in his brow that mirrored my thoughts. Bravely, I reached across the small space that separated us and plucked the remote from his long fingers, aiming it at the screen.

"Let's watch the news, shall we?"

He didn't answer, but his eyes floated towards the screen as the weatherman predicted the upcoming forecast. I wondered whether Alice was more correct at predicting weather. It wasn't based on a decision, but she would still be able to foretell such a natural phenomenon…right? I wanted to ask Edward, but he was still brooding. The forecast called for sun.

"You know," I started, hoping to ease his concern. He seemed to like the small details of my pre-fugitive life. "When I first realized I was a vampire, I hid from the sun. I thought I would burst into flames if I even just _looked_ at it. Of course, it didn't take long for me to realize that was just a myth."

This tidbit seemed to waken something within him as he turned to gaze at me again, a small smiling playing at the corner of his mouth. That mouth…. It was a highly distracting sight. I wondered if he tasted as he smelled.

"Where would you hide?" he asked curiously.

I shrugged, thinking back to my first week. Hiding was never too difficult. "Caves…abandoned houses in the woods. Anywhere I could, really."

His eyes trailed down my arms, stopping at the turn of my elbow. I was thankful for the red cloth that covered my skin. His eyes roamed back up, glancing over my exposed collarbones, throat, jaw, and lips before reaching my eyes. Warmth flooded each spot his gaze landed on, a strange tingling sensation running across my skin. I wanted him to touch me everywhere his eyes had paused.

"Did you try to burn yourself?"

"What?" My voice was embarrassingly shaky as I glanced up to him quickly, too wrapped in my own carnal desires.

"When you thought the sun would destroy you… Did you ever want it to?"

It was a strange question, but what with Edward's apparent self-loathing and pessimistic outlook, I could see why he would immediately come to this conclusion. But even though I was confused and angry and ravenously thirsty when I had woken…I had never wanted to end my life. Sure, I disliked this life _much_ more than my human life, but I was still _me_. I was still the same Bella personality-wise as I was when I had been human. The only thing that I had changed was my diet, my sleeping (or non-sleeping) habits, and my relationships. I had none since the moment I had awoken as a vampire.

"No. I tried to stay clear of the sun, Edward. Not let it scald me."

He only nodded and looked away. The silence dragged on as I watched the television blindly, my senses highly aware of Edward beside me. What was _he_ thinking about? Had _he_ tried to end his life once he had awoken?

"What other myths did you test out?"

I looked to him quickly to find his expression amused again, his eyes bright and probing. There were so many facets to Edward, it was hard to keep up. I had to think for a moment to recall the most non-foolish myths I had considered. Telling him about the time I spent during the first nights searching for a coffin was not one of the tales I was considering relenting to him.

"Well, besides the sun, it took me a while to figure that I wasn't going to turn into a bat." He chuckled at this with a shake of his head. "A reflection in the mirror I quickly debased, the no sleeping thing was a _lot_ easier to adjust to than I would have thought," it _was_ very easy when your body never grew tired, "garlic and crosses seemed fine, and there's the staking which I have never tested, but I think not…" I looked to him for confirmation. His eyes held the typical bout of extreme amusement as he listened to me prattle on, but he nodded in acquiescence at my question.

"And that's basically it." At least, that was all that I was willing to tell him. The rest were too embarrassing.

"That must have been very difficult and confusing for you, to wake up alone," Edward pressed, raising one perfect eyebrow.

I shrugged noncommittally, "I'm sure most vampires who wake alone go through a similar process."

Edward's eyebrows knitted together at that and he turned to look at me closer, his legs bent close to mine. If I shifted just an inch to the right, our knees would touch. It was with great restraint that I didn't.

"Actually, most newborns are too ravenous to think of much else other than blood."

I started at his words. Blood had been a large part of my awakening, but it hadn't completely ruled my life. It was quite easy for me to resist.

"Most calm down after a few years, but you seem to have been born, for lack of a better term, with the mindset of an established vampire." His voice, though soft, had an overwhelming amount of respect as he spoke, his eyes glowing. I squirmed against the couch, uncomfortable beneath so much praise. I had still hunted humans. It almost made it _worse_ that I had been able to control myself, and yet still fed from them. At least normal newborns had the excuse of being uncontrollable.

I didn't know what else to say, and so blurted the first thing that came to my mind, "My mother always told me I was born middle-aged," and then froze, my eyes widening as I stared into Edward's surprised face.

"I don't…I don't know where that came from," I stammered, looking away towards the window in uncertainty. It was without a doubt that my mother _had_ said that to me in the past. Why had I just remembered now?

Edward smiled softly and I looked back at him, hesitation written across my face like words.

"Don't be startled," he said in that low, velvet voice. "Sometimes human memories resurface from the strangest things." He patted the top of my hand gently and I quickly, without thinking, flipped it over so that our hands touched palm to palm. Both of our eyes traveled down to where our hands touched and I pulled my hand from beneath his quickly, moving further from him on the couch.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled in a rush, but he only smiled and grabbed the remote from where I had discarded it between us.

"How about some news," he offered quietly, "Weathermen are so erroneous."

* * *

There was nothing much for news at this hour. The woman and man fronting the headlines stuck to basic reports – fashion trends, upcoming holidays, kitchen recipes… The television remained active more as background noise to me, anyhow, as I concentrated on the ravishing sensations roaming through my palm and up through my arm from where I had touch Edward.

It was so strange. It hadn't been the first time we had touched hands, obviously. We had held hands plenty of times over the past couple of days, but this time had seemed so…casual. Each preceding time had been to run or to hunt. I was almost certain Edward did it to ensure that I did not run off to find a human, though I knew he could easily outrun me if I ever did, which I was almost certain I _wouldn't._

But still, my hand movement had been so standard as though holding hands had become the norm for us – as though it would be normal to just sit on the couch together, holding hands. It wasn't the norm, but I knew now that I desperately wished it would be. I knew now why I wanted to stay with Edward so much. I knew what the _more_ was…

I liked Edward. And more than just as this strange, friendship-alliance we had formed. I really liked him, and that terrified me. I had never met and befriended another vampire before, notwithstanding a _male_ vampire around my physical age, and I wondered whether this was something that happened between vampires – attraction.

Yes, I was attracted to Edward. This much had been obvious from the moment I had laid eyes on him in that field all those days ago. Demetri had been standing before me, but I couldn't stop watching the beauty that was Edward. His darkened eyes fringed by even darker lashes, his seemingly perfectly sculptured face, his full lips, his mess of bronze hair. Yes, everything about him eluded to attractiveness and god-like beauty, but it was something _more_ than that of which I was attracted to.

It was _everything_. His voice, his smell, his mind, his insistence to break through my shield, his fierce protectiveness, his love for his family, his absolute, unwavering _devotion_. There were so many things attractive about him that had nothing to do with his surface good-looks and charm. No, I wouldn't leave him because I would _miss_ him. And terribly, too.

I stood quickly, startling Edward as he glanced up at me, questions burning through his eyes. I couldn't be around him right now. He had a way of getting out of me whatever was running through my mind, and I couldn't let him know _this_. It was too embarrassing.

Instead, I made up some lame excuse and hurtled myself back to the bedroom, trying desperately to rid myself of the thoughts.

 **Thank you for reading and reviewing! This chapter came out faster than I had anticipated, and I already have the next one outlined, so hopefully that will only take a week. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I hope those of you dealing with final exams and such are not stressing too much! Good luck in your final weeks!**


	15. Fatal Attraction

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

I watched as Bella dashed off to the bedroom that was unofficially hers for the second time, again wishing that should we have stayed. The peace I felt around her was unfathomable, but it was healing all the same. I _needed_ her. I _wanted_ her.

I had hoped, when her hand had quickly turned over, that she would lace her fingers through mine as I had done with her on multiple occasions, but she only pulled her hand from beneath mine, telling me what I had feared all along. Whatever this growing sentiment was that I felt for her was not reciprocated.

She didn't calm me down or ease my panic simply because she felt something for me; she did so because she was _nice_. She was _good_. She was everything I wasn't, and now here I was, throwing her into just as much fire as my family because I couldn't be the same. I couldn't be _good_.

If I was _good_ , I wouldn't have run from the Volturi like a coward. I would have finished out my service on the Guard until Aro decided to release me – which, likely, would have lasted all of eternity – without ever straying from Italy. But I wasn't _nice_ and I wasn't _good_. I was selfish, and the worst kind.

I had only looked out for myself. I had torn Demetri's vicious body to pieces and run, and for what? A lifetime of existing in secrecy? An eternity of hiding from the people I despised as well as the people I loved? And putting the people I loved in more danger than they had started in, no less. I was no better than Aro himself. I had practically forfeited my family's lives for my own freedom.

But, no….

The destruction of Demetri's body and the subsequent escape _hadn't_ been for my freedom – it had been for _hers_. And as long as I could keep her safe, as long as she survived this, it would have been worth it. Would I sacrifice my family's lives for Bella's life? I wasn't so sure. But _why_ wasn't I sure? That should have been an easy answer – no, I will not sacrifice their lives. But why was the vision of Bella, mangled and lifeless beneath the cold, greedy stare of Aro's smirking face enough to keep me on this path of escape, no matter the danger it caused my family?

Why was the image of her head thrown to the side as the pieces of her body burned to ash so much more pain inducing than the image of my sisters or brothers in the same situation?

I wasn't sure, but I wasn't sure I wanted to find out. I had a feeling it would only lead me to more questions and more uncertainty as to why I was doing what I was doing.

Perhaps I should send Bella to stay with the family. She could ultimately be safer that way. There would be more vampires around to ensure her safety, to protect her _if_ one of the Guard found her. But this came full circle to my selfishness – I couldn't send her away to the family because I wanted her to stay with _me_. _I_ wanted to protect her; _I_ wanted to watch over her.

It was all so bewildering and harrowing and it was slowly giving me a headache just _thinking_ about it. A worse headache than when Emmett would recite an entire section of the dictionary over and over until I responded with a physical altercation. It was always his main goal, of course. Annoy me until I fought him. The fight was always his priority – he loved a good brawl.

I shut off the pointless television and rubbed my hands over my face a few times. The sun was beginning to rise just ever so slightly and I needed to make a plan. Which car would we take, where would we go, and what would we do when we got there? Would we even _get_ anywhere? Would there ever be any success in this traveling? Was there ever going to be an _actual_ destination, or would we become nomads for all of eternity?

"Are you all right?"

I looked up quickly, surprised to see Bella standing in the doorway, her large, fire-colored eyes hesitant.

"I'm fine," I growled, pacing the floor between us. "We need another _vision_ ," I rambled on, my voice nothing more than a snarl. "Something _telling_ , something _solid_." Something that would tell me where to go and where to avoid. Something that would tell me what to _do_.

I froze when an alabaster hand held fast to mine, nimble fingers pulling at my own to unclench my fist. I watched Bella's dexterous fingers move to confiscate the seemingly random pieces of plastic that were unknowingly scrunched in my hand.

"I heard it snapping," she said softly, discarding the rubble on the table beside us.

Oh. The remote. I had decimated it in my rage. I let out a breath, watching as the air blew a few tendrils from Bella's face and my anger melted. "I'm sorry," I murmured, trying to convey through my widened eyes that none of my anger was towards her. Her expression softened, her eyes glazed over softly, and her lips parted as she drew in a quick breath. It was a look I had seen before when I had tried to convince her that Alice had not bought out the entire section of First Class seats to insult her, but rather to keep her comfortable. It was the look I had seen many times on human females when I tried to lure something out of them.

The key to this room, for instance. The receptionist downstairs had a similar glazed look to her features as I attempted to charm her away from realizing we may not be the Wilsons. _Dazzling_ , Bella had called it. Was I dazzling her now? She had said that I did it frequently…

Something warm fluttered from my cold chest, out through my equally as cold limbs at the thought that I was _dazzling_ Bella – that I _could_ dazzle Bella. I stared at her still form; her freesia-scented breath tumbling around me as the warmth increased in the center of my chest. No, not the center; it was directed more towards the left, ebbing away at the edges of the forgotten organ resting beneath.

My heart.

It felt as though it were attempting to restart; to pump its way through my body and out of my chest. It had never felt so _real_ before – so tangible and so…pained. And, as I stared at the exquisite creature standing before me, her soft hand in mine, I suddenly knew what all of the emotions that had been plummeting through my body for the past couple of days were. The feeling of desire, of _wanting_ to be close to her, of _needing_ to be close to her…the overwhelming protection I felt for her…I had fallen, quickly and effortlessly, in lovewith Bella. I _loved_ her.

She came to quickly before I could further bathe in this newfound realization.

"We'll get a vision soon, I'm sure," she mumbled quietly, her features taking on a look that told me she would be blushing if she could. It was quite endearing, lovely – _loveable_.

"But right now…" she shifted to glance out the large window, her eyes following the sway of the sun as it dodged the moving branches. Her face lit up ever so slightly. I wanted to graze my thumb over her illuminated cheekbone; to tell her of my learned truth. Her eyes turned back to mine, her fingers still curled around my own. "I think we should move on," she finished.

She was right, of course. She was always right. Except for flying, but that had, in all actuality, been my own fault.

She unfurled her fingers from mine and I quickly scooped the destroyed segments of the remote. I flashed them in front of her before throwing them away.

"Thank you."

She only smiled widely.

* * *

I sat in the driver's side of the darkly tinted sporty vehicle, my elbow pressed to the window, my temple pressed to my fisted hand as I stared at the miles of traffic with hatred. We did _not_ have time for this.

"Perhaps we should run," I considered. Bella looked at me, her expression incredulous.

"And leave the car idling in the middle of the highway?" She shook her head. "Besides, we wouldn't make it two inches from the car before our skin lit up like diamonds."

"We would move too quickly for the humans to see," I assured her, but, of course, she was right. The traffic was, again, my own reckless mistake. I had been more preoccupied with the sound of Bella humming along to the tune playing across the radio and the tumultuous sensation of love ricocheting through my body than the angered and frustrated thoughts surrounding the road ahead of us. An accident of the worst kind – four deaths in total, which meant _hours_ in traffic until the scene was cleaned enough to allow passersby through.

And, of course, traffic would still crawl at a deathly pace as curiosity over the morbid scene pulled almost every single driver to slow at the accident.

So, with full comprehension that the police were too far ahead to notice anything so far back, I veered through the small wedge in the lane beside us, and onto the grass.

"Edward!" I ignored Bella's alarmed exclamation as I floored it to the nearest exit ramp – a half mile down.

"Blood was spilt," I warned both of us as I shifted down the exit closer to the site of the accident. We both halted our breathing simultaneously.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked after a few minutes of accelerating down a narrowed road. No one else was around.

"Back roads," I answered.

"All the way to Panama?!"

"Only past the accident." I couldn't help but to glance at her, amused. It would take us _days_ to drive to Panama via the backroads.

The buzzing of the cell phone caught us both off guard and I quickly grabbed it from my pocket, holding it to my ear as though it were a life preserver.

" _Good news or bad news first?"_

"Good," I breathed down the phone, giving life to Alice's small voice. We would be receiving enough bad news as it was.

" _They are attempting to find a way to bring around Demetri."_

Bella gasped, the sound mimicking every nerve-ending in my body.

"How is that _good_ news?!" she cried, her eyes finding mine in a blaze of anxiety.

" _The_ good _news is that they won't be able to. I'm pretty sure he is stuck in this state for at_ least _a century."_ A century… Would we survive a full century? Surviving another _week_ seemed farfetched.

"And the bad news?" I was almost afraid to ask.

" _The three that were in Canada are on a flight to Mexico. They are landing blindly, though, since they have nothing to go on once they land. As long as you continue moving south, you should be all set."_

"Okay, that's…" Good? Better than we could have hoped for at this point?

" _They haven't decided where they are going once they land; I think they are waiting to see if they can pick up any clues as to where you went, but I don't see them doing so."_

"Alice…thank you," I breathed, knowing that I never said these two simple words to her enough. "Thank you for helping."

" _Of course, Edward. I'm your sister, I love you. I, and the rest of the family, are doing all that we can to keep you and Bella safe since you won't let us intercede. Jasper and Emmett are practically on standby at all times now, waiting for the go-ahead. Carlisle hasn't even applied to a hospital just in case something more happens. We want you_ safe _, Edward, and we will do that in any way that we can."_ There was a pounding in my head at her words, much like a headache as what she said settled through me. I had always known that they would help in any way that they can, but to go to such lengths, such extremes… I owed it to them even more now to keep them out of harm's way.

" _And let's stick with the two-hour time slot. It will give you more battery life. Goodbye Edward and Bella. Keep moving south."_

Alice hung up without another word and without letting me get a word in edge-wise, although I didn't even know what I would say. Thank you simply did not cut it.

"You are very lucky to have them," Bella said softly and I looked over to see her watching me, her eyes glowing with some unnamed emotion. _I am lucky to have you_ , I thought.

"Yes, I am."

"And they are lucky to have you."

I snorted, a very dissented sound, "I am dragging them into this more and more as the hours slip by."

"You're protecting them," Bella pressed, her tone harder now. She wasn't going to argue this point. I stared at her, my eyes searching hers, willing her to understand. Would it be worse if she knew I was in love with her? Would that make this situation that much more unbearable?

"Yes, I am trying to protect many people." Namely you, Bella. She tilted her head slightly.

The miles ran quickly beneath the tires, my mind on a constant lookout for a break in the traffic on the nearby highway. It was just a mile up. Traffic was moving briskly just past the accident. Something seemed to be going our way at least as I turned back onto the highway. It was nearly desolate; the traffic blocked behind us.

"Wow." Bella was staring out the back window, attempting to stay out of the stream of sunlight that was hitting her side of the car. The positioning of her body was ever closer to mine now, and her scent wafted to me with every move she made.

"I wish I knew how to drive," she said with a sigh after a couple of seconds.

"It is an easy skill for a vampire to pick up." _Every_ skill was easy for a vampire to pick up. The speed of a car was only second-best to our speed on foot. "I can teach you when this is all over."

My words, and the promise hinting between them, hung silently in the air. _If_ this is ever over, I should have stated. But Bella made me hope; she made me believe we would make it out of this mess. I _wanted_ to make it out of this mess with her. I wasn't sure how, but the hope was steadily keeping me going.

"I only mean that I wish we could take turns driving," she amended after a few moments, turning the force of her orange-tinted eyes on me. They mimicked the setting sun. Their power was brutal and I had to force myself to look away before I said something reckless.

"I feel as though I'm doing hardly anything." She sighed, "I'm dead weight."

My laugh came out as a shocked force of air through my nose.

"Believe me. You are doing more than you think." If it wasn't for her, I would have most likely turned myself in by now. I would have been decapitated under the dank, musky ceilings of the fortress that was Volterra, Italy. She didn't say anything, but the glint in her eyes told me that she believed me, though she didn't know _why_.

After a while I sighed, wanting to appease her in any way possible. I didn't want her to wonder as to how she was helping. I didn't want her to have any doubts.

"You are a shield, Bella. If the need comes – and I pray it does not – your ability will work greatly in our favor."

"Hardly," she mumbled. "I can only stretch it if I'm concentrating enough, and even then, I've only ever attempted it twice."

"Then you'll keep yourself safe," I stated sternly, harshly almost. My hands gripped tighter to the steering wheel as I thought of fighting the three pursuing Volturi. "As long as one of us is able to stay above Jane or Alec's influence, we have a chance at escaping. We'll need to fight them, if it comes down to it. Do you know how to fight?"

I couldn't feasibly keep them off of both of us at the same time. I could, however, hold them off until she escaped.

"I'm better at escaping, but I'm sure I could manage." She was right, of course. With her shield, Jane and Alec would be forced to attack physically. They weren't skilled physically – they had only ever had to rely on their abilities.

I nodded, "Your shield will give you a leg up."

"But that won't protect you."

I turned, surprised by her words, but she was biting on her bottom lip, her brow creased gently. So she was worried not about her own ability to escape, but her inability to shield me.

"You'll protect me by protecting yourself," I said softly, wondering if she would catch the other meaning to my words. "If you are able to escape, I won't have to worry." I could see the uncertainty crossing her features, but also the hint of a smile as she turned to look back out her window. Perhaps she had heard the hidden meaning…perhaps it pleased her. But there was another thing that she was capable of; another reason that she was the opposite of dead weight.

"But also…" I trailed off, turning to gaze at her. I wanted to touch her; to place my hand on her shoulder, on her arm, on her hand, on her neck… "You are able to calm me. Not many can do that."

Her eyes softened.

"You've said that before. What does that mean?"

"It means that I tend to ruminate. Alice calls it sulking, but I call it…pondering." I grimaced at my choice of words, "You see, it's difficult for me to…remove myself…from any form of agitation. I think it's because the hundreds of other minds in my _own_ mind become unbearable during these times. Usually it is fairly easy for me to put them all to the side – background noise, for lack of better term. But when I can't even calm my own thoughts, the frenzy begins." I shrugged, feeling the pull of Bella's eyes as they softened even more.

"I think the silence of your mind helps me focus, like, for example, the other night in the car, when you were trying to palliate me. The silence was able to bring me to some sort of clarity; give me something to focus on. It helped push the other thoughts – the thoughts that don't belong to _me_ – back to that hum of background noise. After that I was able to concentrate on your voice, your words, alone. When I said that not many could do that, I lied. _No one_ has been able to do that. Except for you." I paused, turning to look over at Bella, almost having forgotten that I was speaking _to_ her this entire time – not because I had forgotten her presence, but because she was so _quiet_. And, of course, because I love you, Bella.

Her eyes were intense and swimming with some emotion that I couldn't place. Joy? Elation? Wonder? She wasn't smiling, but she wasn't frowning either. Her face held an expression akin to…awe. She was surprised by my explanation, no doubt. Perhaps she never knew just how much I _needed_ her.

She spoke after another silent moment of staring, the electricity beginning to hiss between us once more.

"So…" she cleared her throat needlessly and I watched her mouth as she spoke, thoughts of touching her moving lips with my own filling my head. "It must be a relief to you, then, that my mind is silent."

Quickly, as though startled, my eyes fled back to hers and I felt my eyebrows raise of their own accord. Mere days ago, before meeting Bella Swan, I would have thought the same way. I _had_ thought the same way.

"It's a tragedy," I said softly.

Her eyes widened, "Tragedy?!"

I sighed, staring back out towards the highway. There were still hardly any cars around. We were keeping with highly indecent speeds.

"Bella," I admonished quietly. I could tell her, right this second, how desperate I was to know everything thought that passed her mind; every trivial consideration or idea that had ever seized her. I settled for a less obvious obsession, "I want to know what you are thinking more than anything."

She didn't answer and I had to look over to see what she was thinking, to see if her emotions were playing across her face and eyes at they sometimes did. She looked shock, to say the least, and more than a little pleased that I _couldn't_ see into her mind. The flash of subtle delight didn't sneak by me either. Was she happy I wanted to know her thoughts?

Before I could ask, her eyes widened, her hand darting to the phone between us, "We missed the two-hour mark."

The small device sprung to life in her hands and her worried eyes turned up to me. I only smiled. "I'm sure Alice had seen when we would turn on the phone. She is probably actively searching right at this moment."

As soon as I finished speaking, the phone buzzed in Bella's hand.

"Alice, I'm sorry, I –"

" _It's all right."_ Alice's lilting voice interrupted Bella's worry.

" _Is Edward with you?"_

"Yes, of course." Bella started to hand off the phone to me and I would have taken it, albeit curiously – obviously, I could hear the conversation perfectly fine – but Alice spoke again, addressing Bella before the phone was completely away from her ear.

" _Bella, are you still in Guatemala?"_

"We've just passed through Honduras," I answered briskly as Bella glanced around for some sort of sign indicating where we were.

" _Great,"_ Alice chimed.

"Have you seen anything?" Bella asked.

" _Nothing of importance. Where are you headed now?"_

Bella glanced over at me and I nodded once.

"Panama," she stated.

" _And then you'll catch a flight."_ A statement, not a question.

"Based on your visions, Alice," I reminded her, staring at the phone as though it were Alice herself.

" _Yes…I'm sorry, I haven't seen anything just yet. I will call you when I have, but stick with the plan to Panama for now."_

"Okay," Bella agreed and quickly hung up, turning off the phone to conserve the battery.

There were still no visions, which meant there was still no set plan.

 **Holy no update! Sorry, I'm getting ready for graduation and just finished up with finals and hopefully will have a lot more time on my hands after this weekend! I would really like to finish up this story because I have another one brewing and I always hated having two going at once because I would end up combining them somehow. I hope you enjoyed, and sorry if it is not too long :(**


	16. Shadow

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

 _Bella POV_

"What does that mean – no visions? Does this normally happen for her?" I asked after an hour of silence; an hour of biting my tongue so that I wouldn't ask such a question. It could barely be contained now as my anxiety grew. Edward had sat stoically, his foot acting as lead over the gas pedal, speeding down the freeway.

"Her visions are very subjective. If the Volturi are not making decisions at this point, then she will see hardly anything."

I stared at the lock of bronze hair that had tumbled over his forehead, hanging just below his right eyebrow.

"So is that a good thing, then? No decisions?"

He looked at me quickly, obviously hearing the tremor to my voice. I couldn't help but to be anxious. All the talk of my shield being an asset to him if I could protect myself had me restless. I _wanted_ to protect him. I _wanted_ to stretch it over him if the need arose. I wouldn't _leave_ him to fend off the other three while I escaped – I couldn't! I…

I wasn't sure how I felt towards Edward, but every day…every _hour_ it seemed my throat was constricting, my chest was tightening at the thought of him being in danger. Even now, sitting safely – well, as safely as we could be at the moment – beside him in the car, I couldn't stop the thoughts from pummeling through me. I was glad he couldn't read my mind no matter his strange and endearing desire to read it. My thoughts would only concern him more than they would help him.

His golden eyes roamed my face quickly in an attempt to read my emotions. I tried to block them as best as I could. I tried to throw the same mask he often wore over my features, but it cracked and bled around the edges. He grimaced, his hand moving fast as lightning from the wheel towards me. I grasped it before he could realize what he was doing and pull it away, interlacing our fingers and grasping the back of his hand with my other. He looked shocked, but delighted as the familiar current flowed from each of his fingers into mine.

I may be able to calm him with my silent mind, but he could calm me with his electrifying touch.

"It's good," he murmured. "They are probably still at a loss as to what to do, where to go."

Which ones? I wanted to ask – Aro and his brothers, or Jane and her followers? But I held my tongue again, only tightening my grip on his hand. He glanced at the road quickly and then back to me, moving our clasped hands to brush the back of his hand against my cheek. My eyes fluttered closed at the touch.

"Don't worry," he murmured softly, his velvet voice low and beautiful. "In an hour, she will call again and we will figure something out." He dropped our hands back to the console between us, his thumb stroking a tantalizing pattern across my own that did less to calm my nerves and more to ignite a burning fire within me.

I bit my lip, staring out the window once more as I waited for the hour to trickle by.

The time moved like a blur with Edward's hand over mine and soon his left hand was holding the phone as well as the steering wheel as we awaited the call. I would have taken the phone myself, or given back his hand, but I was really not too keen on the latter. The phone buzzed on the hour and Edward pressed a small button that had the car lighting with Alice's voice, loudly, clearly, and angrily.

" _You've skipped an entire session!"_

"What are you talking about, Alice?" Edward asked, his brow creasing as much as mine.

" _You haven't turned on the phone in four hours. I tried calling at the last two-hour mark, but the phone was off."_

Edward glanced at me, his brows knitted over his intensely confused golden eyes.

"You did call…. You told us there were no visions and to continue to Panama."

The line was silent for a full minute before Alice was speaking again, her voice suddenly low.

" _Did you tell me where you are?"_

"Yes, Honduras," I answered. Edward's thumb stopped stroking along mine.

" _No!_ " He growled, his mouth falling open in shock. I stared at him, clueless as to what was happening.

" _Edward, you need to destroy the phone. I'm not sure how they did it, but you need to get a new one. I'll find the number."_

And, with that, Alice hung up. Edward pulled his hand from mine quickly, leaving me feeling oddly empty as he grasped the steering wheel. The hand holding the phone quickly clenched around the device, effectively crushing the phone into nothing. I gasped, my mouth gaping in horror.

"What is happening?" I asked, panic fusing through my voice as Edward released the powder of the destroyed phone out the open window.

"That wasn't Alice on the phone that last time. I'm not sure how they did it either…. No one in the Guard has such an ability, unless it _wasn't_ someone in the Guard…" He trailed off, his words making less sense than Alice's.

"Who was on the phone, then?"

His suddenly furious expression and the sudden veering of the car to the nearest exit ramp had me grasping the edges of my seat in fear.

"Edward!"

He turned to look at me, his expression murderous.

" _Mirella_ ," he hissed. "She was an ex-member of the Guard. She was released under the condition that she return if needed. I had never met her, but I've heard about her through Aro's mind on certain occasions." He paused, glancing in the rearview mirror. I did the same with the side view mirror, wondering if we were being followed.

"Her power…. It's timeless and oh so convenient for the Volturi," he spat.

"What is it?" My voice was barely a whisper.

"She can adapt her voice to any being she so chooses. She doesn't even have to meet them to do it. Man, woman, child… It hardly matters. What _does_ matter is that _she_ is the one who called the last time."

I didn't even know what to say as this new information sunk in. Somehow noticing the terror moving through my body, Edward's hand moved back to mine, gripping it tightly.

"The Volturi know where we are then?"

His mouth pressed into a firm line – that was my answer. The Volturi knew. The Volturi knew and were most likely headed this way, if they weren't already here!

"How did they know the number for the phone?! Can Mirella do that as well?!"

Edward shook his head, "It is not difficult to track a number if you have the means. The Volturi have the means."

I felt as though I were on the verge of a panic attack. Could vampires _get_ panic attacks?!

"Shouldn't we head north, then? Out of South America? We could catch a flight from here! They only know that we we're in Honduras and we're heading to Panama. Shouldn't we fly out somewhere else?! Back to Canada, or to a different continent all together!"

"Right now, we need to get a new phone, and quickly. We need Alice's visions more than ever now."

"How will we know if we're even talking to the real Alice?"

He didn't answer for a minute, and when he did, his voice was barely audible, "I don't know."

He flew off of the highway, catapulting down the exit, and followed the signs for the nearest convenient store. The gas needed to be refilled as well and we just didn't have time.

"Are they following us?" I asked as Edward pulled into the store parking lot. He shook his head as he parked in the shade beneath the cover of an overhanging roof against the store front. He turned to me quickly, pulling the sunglasses from the center console and pushing them onto my face gently.

"We need to be mindful of the sun," he said as he leaned closer to gather my hair, fluffing it around my throat and covering my collarbones with it. It hung drastically by the sides of my face. If we were in any other situation, my body would have flooded with heat at the touch.

I stared as he pulled the thin hood of the sweatshirt he had changed into over his head.

"Shouldn't I stay in the car? You are more covered than I am." Something flashed over his features at my consideration.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, Bella. Now, come."

He left the car and quickly moved to stand beneath the roof. The overhang gave just enough shade that the sun did not touch an inch of his skin. I moved quickly as well, coming to stand beside him. He grasped my hand and pulled me along the edge, straight into the store. It was well lit, but no outside sun touched the inside.

Edward pulled off his hood as I spotted the packaged cellphones and tugged him in the direction. He grabbed the closest one.

"No sunglasses inside, miss." I bared my teeth to the worker, silencing his request as he shuffled away quickly. Edward raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged. A smile pulled at the corner of his attractive mouth.

We paid quickly, the elderly woman barely even glancing in our direction and were in the car within moments.

"Gas," I stated, motioning to the low level on the dashboard. Edward rolled his eyes, but pulled the car to the station nonetheless.

"I'll do it." I gripped the handle of the door, but Edward had a fast and firm grasp on my arm, pulling me back from the door.

"Full service," he stated. I cocked my head.

"They fill it for you."

"Oh…"

He smirked despite the circumstances, his hand sliding down my arm to graze the back of my hand. I held back the tremor moving down my spine at the enticing touch as I gazed up at him.

"Do you even know how to maneuver a gas pump?"

"I could drive as a human!"

"Yes, but do you remember?"

I had to think for a while. No… I didn't remember how to use a gas pump. I pouted and Edward's smile widened.

"I'll teach you," he promised as a quick rasp at the driver's window pulled Edward's attention.

"Here." Edward tossed the package onto my lap as soon as we were accelerating towards the highway with a full tank. I ripped the plastic with my fingers easily, pulling out the phone. It was roughly the same as the other one – no touch screen, again.

"It's pre-loaded and pre-charged. Just turn it on." I did as he instructed, and the phone sprang to life with a simple, yet annoying tune.

"We'll have to find a way to mute that," he grimaced.

The phone buzzed almost on command, another startling tune sounding through the car. My head whipped to stare at Edward, shock and alarm playing across my face. Edward moved his hand from mine, taking the phone.

" _It's me, I haven't seen anything that suggests they are moving closer to you. I think they are most likely still on the plane."_

Edward didn't speak and I wondered which Alice this was.

" _If I ever ask you – or_ any _of us ask you – where you are or where you are heading, hang up; destroy the phone, do you understand?"_

Finally, Edward's tense posture relaxed. He closed his eyes briefly.

"Yes, Alice."

"Please _Edward, let us come help you. This is_ killing _Carlisle and Esme."_

Edward only growled his answer and Alice understood the meaning behind the sound.

" _Okay, okay. If I see anything terrible happening, we are sending everyone out, do you hear me?_ Everyone. _You are not in this alone. How much battery do you have on the phone?"_

Edward pulled the device away and it was back to his ear in less than a second.

"It's a full charge."

" _Good. Okay. Leave it on. Keep switching out the phones until you reach…your destination."_

"There is no _destination_ , Alice. There can't be!"

" _Relax. Keep going. I am going to search and then call you back as soon as I see something worthwhile."_

She hung up, but the sound was muted by another rumbling growl releasing from within Edward. I reached over, uncertain of how to console him, but knowing that I had to do _something_ ; I had to _try something._ I put my hand over his shoulder and he tensed before relaxing once more, the rumbling softening.

"This is an impossible getaway, Bella, do you realize that? There is nowhere to go, nowhere to hide that will fool the Volturi. They are heavily armed with skilled fighters, skilled members."

"Yes, but you've already taken away one of their most lethal members – Demetri. It makes it ten times harder for them to track us."

He continued on as though he hadn't heard me, "You shouldn't stay with me. You they would have almost no chance of capturing; I am a completely different story. They want you for their Guard, they want me for execution. I've run from them – it's the largest crime possible within the Guard."

My fingers tightened around the top of his broad shoulder, my nails practically curling into his shirt.

"There's no difference," I hissed. "Guard membership _would_ be death to me. I'd rather _die_ than join."

His head whipped around to me, his golden eyes piercing and impossibly solid. " _Don't_ say that," he bellowed harshly, "I am doing everything I can to keep you alive; I won't think about you perishing beneath their hands." My breathing hitched at his passionate words. I wanted to stay alive…but only if we stayed alive together.

"We _should_ meet with my brothers. I should hand you off to them. They can keep you much safer than I can," he continued in a severe, but desolate tone.

"I won't leave you," I repeated through gritted teeth. How many times must I say this to him? When will he realize that I _can't_ leave him? That I don't _want_ to leave him. I _need_ him…

He stared at me for an immeasurable amount of time. My red hued eyes, wide and frantic, staring into his golden eyes, soft and pleading.

"They can protect you, Bella. Alice with her visions… Emmett with his strength… They can keep you _safe_."

"I can keep _you_ safe," I countered angrily. My chest ached at the thought of leaving him now; leaving him to fend for himself. I _could_ keep him safe as soon as I mastered my shield. He looked as though he didn't believe me, or more so didn't _want_ to believe me, so I let go of his shirt and held my hand, palm up, in between us.

"Give me your hand," I demanded. He stared at me for a moment longer before placing his in mine. The familiar warmth trailed through me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I felt quickly and desperately for the edges of my shield, waiting for the pulsing to begin, signaling to me that I was stretching it away from me. Not off, just expanding the density and size of it. I felt for Edward's presence beside me, feeling it first encapsulate his hand in mine, moving it further up his arm, over his shoulder, over the left half of his chest. I stretched it further and further, feeling whole and exposed all at once.

When I heard Edward's soft gasp, I knew I had succeeded.

"What are you doing?"

The shield snapped back around me and I let out a breath, my body sagging back against the seat. I glared at him.

"I'm trying to learn how to stretch my shield further and longer. I'm trying to _protect_ you." I saw the small tug at the corner of his mouth. "But I can't do it unless I concentrate."

"Which is a problem," he filled in. I nodded. There was no way I would be able to concentrate during a battle.

He grasped my hand again, holding it tightly to his chest for half a second before lowering it back between us. My dead heart jumped in its frozen grasp.

"Practice makes perfect," he insisted and then turned back to the road to let me continue. I smiled, sitting up straight as I focused once more on stretching it.

I knew impulsively the moment it reached around him completely. He couldn't hear me still, but that could easily be fixed. I needed to be distracted. I needed to _not_ be able to concentrate, and strengthen my ability to hold the shield away from me. There was only one thing, at this moment, that would be able to distract me enough to _help_ me.

Edward.

Gently, I pulled the shield from my own mind just enough so that it could snap back in place as soon as I needed it to.

 _Touch me._

Edward's head turned faster than I had ever seen it, but the embarrassment and humiliation that would normally shock through me at saying this to him fell to the wayside at the prospect of him being injured because of my inability to cover him. His hand gripped tighter to my own, but it wasn't enough.

 _No,_ I thought to him, _more. Distract me._

I was distracting myself. The shield snapped back over me, pulling quickly from Edward. My eyes flickered open as I growled.

"Again," I snapped, angry at myself before forcing my eyes closed, forcing the shield to encompass Edward once again. I nodded once and Edward's hand moved from mine to my arm. It was difficult, but I managed to focus around the electricity and warmth.

I dropped the shield from my mind quickly, _more_ , and then let it swallow me up again, cutting off my thoughts to Edward once more.

He obliged, his hand moving up my arm and to my shoulder. It was very nearly enough to catapult my shield away from him, but I held steady.

 _More,_ I repeated as I dropped my shield for the third time. I pictured his fingers trailing over the skin of my throat; over my exposed collarbones and when I actually _felt_ the touch, the shield broke away from him, striking me roughly as the edges snapped back to me like an elastic. I was practically panting and I realized, with embarrassment this time, that Edward's hand still rested against my shoulder. He hadn't even touched my neck. Even just my imagination had been too distracting.

I turned to look at him and noticed he was breathing hard as well, his eyes dark and scorching.

"Here," he moved his hand from my shoulder to cup gently against the side of my neck and my eyes fluttered shut at the sensation. My senses were going haywire. "Let's start easy first, shall we? No sneak attacks?" His voice was husky and I licked my lips. His eyes darted to the movement and then back to mine.

"Try to shield me now," he instructed. I swallowed, but nodded and closed my eyes again. The shield quivered, and it took more attempts than just one to push it over him, but eventually it worked. He sighed, pleased.

"More?" he murmured, and just the sound of his voice snapped the shield back in place. I slouched, dismayed.

"It's useless," I groaned.

"It's not," he breathed, his hand straying over my neck. His fingers danced across the skin there, calming my nerves and setting them on fire all at once.

"Try again."

I did as he said, many times. Each time was easier…and harder than the last. I was able to shield him each time and he would say things to surprise me, anger me, make me laugh. It was easier to concentrate around his voice now, but when he moved back to touching, it was almost impossible.

Each time his fingers would brush along my throat, my jaw, my cheek, my hair the shield would snap back in place with a frustrated groan from me – frustrated for more than one reason – and either a chuckle or a sigh from Edward. We switched to me touching him; he would hold my hand and brush it along his throat, his jaw, his cheek. It worked slightly better; I could concentrate a tad more than when he touched _me_ , but at one point I was almost certain he had brushed the back of my hand against his mouth and, with a gasp, the shield snapped back harder than it ever had.

"Sorry," he had murmured, but he didn't sound sorry – his eyes didn't look sorry when I had glanced over at him.

The hours ticked by and I was able to hold the shield over Edward as his fingers twirled through the locks that hung by my waist, my mind a gentle lull of calm as his fingers worked through my hair until the ringtone from the phone startled Edward and I apart.

" _Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt –"_ my face would be beat red if I were human, _"– but they've landed in Mexico City and they have been making so many decisions that it is very difficult to see what they are doing. I know they know about my visions, so they must be doing this on purpose."_

"What have they been deciding between?" Edward asked down the phone, his jaw clenched. His fingers tightened around the wheel.

" _Edward, there are honestly so many options. Flying more south, flying back north, going back to Italy, staying where they are… It's pointless to decide which they will do. They probably figure that you have figured out it wasn't me that time. I don't think they know where you are anymore."_

"Okay, that's…" Edward trailed off to glance over at me. I only shrugged. "Good," he finished.

"I _can see where you are and where you are heading. Just keep with that plan and I_ think _you should be okay. Emmett and Jasper – I won't,"_ Alice cut off, speaking to someone else, _"Emmett and Jasper are preparing in case they turn north."_

"Good. That's good, Alice," Edward breathed. I could see his muscles relax slightly and I hoped we were, once again, in a safe zone.

" _Bye Edward. Oh – and Bella? You are a size small, and four in jeans."_

The line went dead, but I stared at Edward, questions blazing through my mind. Why would it matter? Edward only shrugged and tossed the phone back into the console.

"Alice is Alice," he explained, "Sometimes things she says hardly make sense until that future comes about. Now," he put his hand out to me, "practice?"

I grinned.

* * *

"How do they know about Alice's visions?"

Edward grimaced, glancing over at me almost sheepishly. I had practiced for another hour and needed a break – my mind was becoming weary, stretching the shield continuously. I still held his hand in my lap, covering it with both of mine as though he were a lifeline now, and he very well might be.

"It's my fault, really. Aro read it through my mind. It's impossible to keep anything from him."

I thought about that for a moment. "Does he want her too?" I could only imagine the lengths he would go to take on a clairvoyant in his ranks.

"Yes," Edward answered, "But I convinced him that the predictions were too subjective to be of much help to him."

"Is that true?"

"No."

I gasped, "I'm sorry – I shouldn't have asked. He'll know now if he has another chance to read your mind."

"It hardly matters anymore," Edward stated. "I'm sure I won't be given much of a chance when captured. They most likely have orders to end me on the spot."

"Stop it," I scolded, holding his hand tighter in between my own, "If, not _when_. And I won't let that happen."

" _If_ we are caught – if _I_ am caught, I don't want you doing anything to try to help me. You must _run_ , or tell them that I've forced you to run with me, do you understand?"

"I _won't_ do that," I countered calmly, "But it's moot because he would know that you've told me that."

He shook his head, a look of disgust creeping across his face, "I don't want you endangering yourself to save me. It's not smart; it's not _safe_."

"Then we'll just have to agree to disagree," I said quietly, staring at the side of his face as though I could force my beliefs into his very mind. He was glaring at the road now. I wouldn't let Edward be captured without a fight. I wasn't going to _run_ as they…

Just thinking about the scene brought a tremor through my body. _No_ , I would not leave this vampire whom I was positive I was falling in love with to fend for himself while I _ran_. It was unheard of.

Suddenly, Edward's hand in mine froze as did the rest of his body. The car quickly decelerated on the highway and just as fast as he had stilled, he was in motion again, speeding even faster than before. He pulled his hand from mine to grip the steering wheel with both hands, swearing softly.

"Edward, what –"

Before I could even ask what was happening, the phone sprung to life. He didn't reach for it, only gritted his teeth and drove faster, skipping over lanes and then quickly spinning around to the opposite direction.

I grabbed the phone on its last ring, terrified and confused.

" _I'm so sorry I didn't see! They were changing their decisions on purpose so I_ wouldn't _see! So I_ couldn't _see! I can't – I don't –"_

I cut off Alice's cries with a gasp. Edward was still accelerating down the highway, back to the way we had come.

"Alice, what has happened?! What couldn't you see?!"

" _Bella!"_ The panic in her voice only built my own, _"They split up – Jane, Alec, and Felix; I didn't see it until just now, until… Jane took a different flight – further than Mexico. They've been indecisive purposefully so I would never be able to see the clear picture!"_

"What does this mean? Where is Jane, Alice? What do you see now?"

Suddenly, Edward grasped the phone from me, immediately crushing it in his palm and threw the remaining rubble into the backseat, his eyes a blaze of ferocity and rage.

" _Edward!_ "

"It's Jane, Bella. She sees Jane behind us."

* * *

 **Hello! I hope you are all having a great long weekend and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I left it at a bit of a cliffhanger d: I have the next chapter halfway completed (a long weekend plus zero plans make for a good amount of writing), and hopefully will have it up soon. Again, thank you for reading and a special thanks to those that review. I love reading your thoughts on the chapters.**

 **Until next time!**


	17. Ribbon of Black

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

 _Bella POV_

"Jane is following us as we speak – or, she was. She is still heading south." Hurriedly he pulled the car to the side of the highway, his door flying open before the car even came to a complete stop. I followed suit, panic and horror rising through me as I glanced around.

"It will be faster and less conspicuous if we run," he growled. He didn't even bother shutting the door before he was flitting to my side, his eyes filled with fury and concern. He grasped my shoulders quickly and crushed me to him, wrapping his arms around me for less than a second before pushing me back towards the woods. I didn't even have time to realize what was happening before he spoke quickly and quietly, "Run, Bella."

I obliged immediately, the look in his eyes alone telling me that we would be in danger very shortly if I did not. He was on my heels instantaneously and then alongside me, keeping pace with _me_ as he had when we hunted together that first time outside of the airport. I pushed myself harder than I ever had and he sped up effortlessly, never moving from my side.

I wanted to tell him to go; to run as fast as he could, but I wasn't even sure where we were running _to._ If he fled, I'd have no clue where he was going.

"How close is she?" I asked instead. I couldn't sense a vampire anywhere around us, but I figured Edward could hear her.

"Two miles out. She saw us turn. She'll flee to the woods once she sees the car."

I glanced up quickly towards the trees. We could run along the treetops. It would be faster, maybe, to jump from tree to tree, and we'd be able to have a better view of what was around us – in front, and behind…

"No," Edward stressed, guessing at where my thoughts had gone. "She'll only follow us. It will slow us down."

"Where are we going?"

He only pressed his lips together into a thin line. He didn't know, either. I pushed myself harder.

It wasn't until Edward growled deep in his chest that I realized Jane was closer than he had predicted. I could almost hear her now. She wasn't as fast as Edward, that was for sure, but she would certainly be able to keep speed with me. The only thing I could think about was how Edward was keeping with my speed and the conversation from the car – the one where he said they would have orders to execute him on the spot.

Jane's footsteps became clearer as she trailed us, and my panic tripled in strength.

"Edward," I gasped, the terror of watching him destroyed hurtling straight through my chest and into my stomach. I no longer cared what happened to me. Edward needed to be _safe_ ; he needed to escape.

"Edward, go! You can outrun her – go!"

He only growled at my cry. I attempted to run faster, to push my legs harder, but they were already moving at full force. They wouldn't go faster.

A sob ripped through me.

"Edward, _please_! You can run faster than I can! Go!"

" _No_ , Bella," he snarled. "I'm not leaving you!"

"She'll catch us both if you don't!" I tried desperately to reason with him to no avail and I could hear Jane even closer now. Her small feet pressed over the small twigs and crunchy leaves as she ran. It was only a matter of time before she unleashed her power – and it would only affect Edward. He would be stopped in a matter of seconds.

"I'm only slowing you down! Please, go! I'll protect you! Just _GO_!" My voice, strained with panic and a building sob was not to be disputed.

His responding growl sounded more assenting this time as it built from deep within him and slithered through his clenched teeth. I thought for a harrowing, yet unbelievably grateful, moment that he was going to dart in front of me and then out of sight and another sob built – elated this time as I realized he would escape; he would be _safe_ , but he only reached out towards me and grasped my wrist tightly in his hand. He pulled my arm roughly, throwing me sideways and onto his back.

My legs and arms tightened around him automatically as he took off like a bullet through the forest. I could have cried as I realized how much slower he had been going to keep pace with me. It was exactly like the argument we had just had mere minutes ago, though reversed. Instead of me coming back for _him_ , _he_ was saving _me._

"You shield us, I'll outrun her. Deal?"

I felt the beginning prods to my shield and knew that she was attempting to slow us in any way possible.

"Deal," I gasped, burying my face against Edward's back and shutting my eyes tightly. I needed to focus – I needed to _concentrate_. Clumsily and hastily, I shoved the shield away from me and onto Edward. It was too much; it stretched too far away from me.

"Focus, Bella! Shield yourself first!"

I focused as much as I possibly could, using his scent as a focal point as I had in the car when he was touching my hair. Anything that could overtake my senses and calm me without distracting me was enough to strengthen and expand the shield.

"Good," Edward breathed, his voice hoarse. "Keep focusing."

I could feel it. Jane's ability was attempting to stab through the screen that was covering the two of us. It was persistent, unyielding and a few times the shield almost slipped away from Edward under the constant strain of her gift, but I always managed to pull it back into place before it was too late. I visualized the edges sticking to him as though he were a part of me; as though his very being was ingrained in mine.

And it was. I loved him.

I gasped and the shield snapped back to me harshly, destructively. If I had been running, I would have collapsed by the shear mental force. Edward's grip tightened around me, but he didn't say a word as I focused once more on covering him. The sudden realization that I _loved_ him had it spiraling back towards me, but now the notion was what was holding the two of us together. My love for him held onto the edges as though they were a salve, protecting him from Jane's brutal attempts at pain – and they were.

If I didn't cover him, he would be in pain.

That realization alone made everything that much easier – the concentration, the focus, the blossoming love that filled my heart.

The attacks continued, hammering at the corners of the shield and I groaned at the shear force behind them, hugging myself to Edward tighter.

"You are doing great, Bella." Edward breathed, trying to soothe me. He wasn't injured and he couldn't hear my thoughts – he knew the shield was holding. "Absolutely wonderful, love."

Love? The term of endearment only strengthened the shield.

I held on to him tighter than I needed to, but being so grounded to him seemed to keep the shield from quivering around the edges as the assault continued tirelessly.

" _Water_ ," I heard Edward mutter and then suddenly we were airborne. I glanced up just in time to see the flow of water we were quickly reaching and shut my eyes again, grasping tightly to Edward. Could he swim while holding me?

He could.

After what felt like hours under water but was really only minutes, Edward's hands grasped me and pulled me around to face him, my limbs holding straight beneath the water. We wouldn't float as humans would in the salty water – we were safe to stay underwater without forcing ourselves down every second.

He pressed his finger to his lips at my curious, yet still panicked glance, and he looked up towards the surface of the water. The last rays of the sun were filtering through. I stared at Edward, noticing how luminous he looked in the darkness of the water. He looked back at me and tapped his index finger gently to my temple twice. He was asking if Jane was still on the attack.

I kept still for a few seconds before realizing with a rush of relief that the assault had stopped. There were no more jabs, not a single battering against the shield. I kept the shield stretched over him just in case.

He was staring up at the surface once more, listening, before finally looking back to me and shaking his head.

He tugged on my arm once more, swimming deeper and further from the land we had just jumped from. I was beginning to fear this is where we would hide from now on – the ocean. Of course, we _could_. We would never need to come up for air, but I would rather…not.

The fear was silenced a few minutes later as our feet met a sandy ground and Edward kicked off, darting us both towards the surface. As soon as we broke through, I realized we were at the edge of an island.

I pushed my shield from my mind just enough to ask, _where are we?_ And then slid the shield back in place. Edward tilted his head, pressed a finger to his lips once more to keep me from speaking, and then flung me across his back again, taking off just as fast as before. I sucked in a breath, tightening the shield as we ran. Was she following? Had she been just behind us in the ocean? Were the attacks about to rematerialize with a vengeance?

Edward stopped a few miles into the packed woodland, out of view of anyone or anything. He pulled me from his back, placing me just in front of him and we both dropped to the ground roughly. The mental, more than physical, exertion had taken a toll on both of us. He leaned against a tree, a calmness overcoming his features.

She was gone.

Suddenly, I was all over him, practically sitting in his lap as my hands worked their way across his stomach, over his chest, smoothing back his hair, darting along the features of his face.

"Are you okay?!" I cried, "Did anything get through?! I slipped up once in a while, but I did my best, Edward – are you all right?! I tried my hardest to shield you – she was relentless! Are you okay?!"

He was hushing me, his hands moving over my features at nearly the same rate as mine. If I could cry, hot tears would be springing down my cheeks. As it was, my eyes burned as I checked him for any indication that Jane had gotten through; that my shield had failed him.

"I'm fine, Bella," he murmured softly, his fingers trailing over my cheekbones as though he could see the invisible tears. "Thanks to you, we are both fine."

I could have cried at the relief that soared me. I could have laughed…clapped…screamed…. But I did none of those things as I stared into his unfathomably intense and scorching golden eyes. They melted and burned as they stared into my eyes and I could only imagine what he saw there. Whatever it was, my act of removing my hands from his chest and grasping his cherished face between them shocked him, as did my mouth covering his.

I kissed him – hard. All of the panic, the terror, the dread, the relief, the _unbearable_ _relief_ poured out of me as I pressed my lips to his, seeking, yearning for him to understand how much I _loved_ him; how much I _needed_ him; how much he had _saved_ me – and not just from Jane. He had saved me from Jane, from Aro, from Italy, from Canada, from my measly existence as a vampire, from my forgotten existence as a human. He had saved me from _myself._

It took him a fourth of a second to respond and then another half second to tangle his long fingers into my soaked hair, holding my head to his as though I would run off. His lips parted beneath mine, breathed me in, exhaled with a shiver against my own lips, and I tasted his delicious essence – his delicious scent. He was honey and lilacs and sun and Edward…just inexplicably _Edward._

I clung to him tighter, our soaked clothing the only barrier between us now. He was so, so precious to me and I couldn't believe how close we had just come to the Volturi – how close _he_ had just come to Jane. Another sob tore through my lips and I moved my mouth from his, kissing over every inch of his face, leaving not one area untouched.

"I'm sorry," I wept between kisses, "I did my best – I have to control the shield better – I have to practice – I'm so sorry, Edward."

He was responding with his fingers as they danced over my back, holding me tighter to him, his lips brushing mine every time my mouth passed close to his. He was hushing me again, rocking us gently where we sat, letting me hold him – holding me.

"No, Bella," he breathed as he rocked us. "Not a single touch made its way through – you would know if it had. You were perfect, extraordinary, impeccable. _You_ areperfect." He pulled my face back to his, pressing his lips to my jaw, "Extraordinary." To my cheek, "Impeccable." To my chin, "Beautiful." To the corner of my mouth, "Wonderful." To my lips.

"I love you."

He worked back through the pattern, this time whispering his love for me between each kiss and my cold heart stuttered at each declaration as I held him to me dearly.

"I love you, too, Edward," I was finally able to say once I had found the ability to speak; once my heart had left my throat. His eyes widened and then the crooked smile tugged at his mouth, full-blown and thrilled and, despite the terrible, horrible circumstance we had just endured, I was grinning back just as foolishly.

He pulled me to him once more, his lips brushing against mine before kissing me desperately, hungrily; he was thanking me with his mouth and I was eager to thank him with mine.

"You're very fast," I whispered once we had pulled away from each other. He only laughed, pulling me back to him and nuzzling his face into the crook of my neck.

"And you are very talented." He pressed his finger to my temple once more and then pressed his lips to mine.

He stood then, pulling me with him. He waved his hand towards the surrounding greenery. "Isla del Tigre," he said, "Tiger Island."

I stared at the forested area and then up towards the darkening sky.

"Is she not going to follow us?"

He shook his head, grasping my hand in his, "She will hold off until she is able to get in touch with the other two. It would be a very uneven fight for her, physically and ability wise – she didn't know you could stretch your shield so well." He looked at me with awe and gratification. I barely can, I wanted to say.

"I still need to practice," I mumbled. I watched his lips curve into a small smile. This was bad – very bad. Now all I was ever going to think about was kissing Edward.

"Yes," he assented, "and we will. We'll have another way to distract you, now." His eyes flashed at his words and he pulled our entwined fingers up to brush the knuckle of his index finger along my bottom lip. My breathing hitched at the theory behind his touch – kissing would be the upmost distraction. I was looking forward to practicing even more now.

"But for now," he continued softly, "we need to get off of this island."

"Do we have to swim again?"

"Yes, but not in the direction we came."

"Will she be waiting for us in Honduras?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't want to chance it." He paused, tugging my arm suddenly until I raveled into his arms. He wrapped himself around me, holding me tight to his chest.

"Thank you for protecting me," he murmured. My throat tightening just slightly at what _could_ have happened.

"Thank you for running so quickly," I responded. He laughed softly, pressing his lips fleetingly to my hair. I pressed the side of my face to his chest, inhaling his wonderful scent, letting it calm my senses.

"And Bella?"

"Mmm?" I could hardly open my eyes.

"Don't ever ask me to leave you behind again."

He pulled me from his chest when I didn't answer. His face was so close to mine, his golden eyes bright and fierce, "Do you understand?"

I bit my lip, but nodded nonetheless, and then tilted my chin up to press my lips to his gently. He sighed and then released me altogether, save for my hand in his. He seemed resigned and I wondered if he knew that I was lying. Of course I would ask him to leave me behind if it meant his safety.

We ran through the dense wood before breaking through to another sanded section on the opposite side of the island. In mere minutes we had crossed the entire island.

The water was colder on this side and saltier, but we swam just as quickly, never coming up for air and I wondered how well Edward knew the area. He seemed to know exactly where he was headed and, a few minutes later, we were touching down on sand once again.

Water dripped from our hair and clothing as we made our way to the cover of the trees once more. The sky was dark now, the moon high in the atmosphere and I relished the fact that we wouldn't have to hide out from the sun for another eight hours at least. Edward seemed to be thinking the same thing as he stared up at the stars.

He spoke after a few moments, "Do you mind if we run? It will be faster and less time consuming than attempting to find another car."

I nodded, staring up at him.

"It will be quite a long run."

I shrugged at his warning. I had spent most of my time as a vampire running – why stop now. "I like to run," I affirmed with another nod. I glanced behind us, back towards the water. I could still see the other land mass that we had arrived from and I wondered if we were on another island. Most likely not if we were to run for a long time.

Was Jane running to wherever we were now? Was she waiting somewhere to ambush?

"Should I run… _with_ you? Or are we safe for now?"

Edward shook his head, "Jane is still in Honduras."

"Oh. Where are we?"

"Nicaragua."

I glanced around again, foolishly thinking the land would look different. It didn't.

"We should be safe to run at a normal speed. Unless, of course, you'd like for me to give you a ride?" His eyebrows rose and I could see the hint of amusement clouding his eyes. I pursed my lips. There was a part of me – a part that craved close contact with Edward, that craved the feel of his powerful muscles moving swiftly beneath my body – that wanted to take him up on his offer. But there was another part that was beginning to win out that realized taking him up on his offer would give a new definition to the term _dead weight_.

I had just found some way that I could _help_ him – I didn't need to revert everything my shield had been able to do by asking him to carry me the rest of the way.

"Running will be fine," I countered. He smiled.

* * *

"Where exactly are we running to?" I asked after a silent hour. Well, silent physically. Mentally, my mind was running a mile a minute.

"For now, Panama. I'd like to use another payphone to call Alice and see if she has seen anything."

"Does she know that you are going to call?"

He glanced over at me, a lock of his bronze hair falling into his face. I wanted to run my fingers through the lock and twist it back into place. "Most likely. It's a decision I am set on, so she probably knows when it will happen."

"How long will it take us to run to Panama?"

"Sticking along the shoreline as we have been, probably the entire night."

Oh. I had never before run for such an extended period of time. My trips in Canada mainly consisted of running between the British Columbia and Yukon Territories.

"Don't worry," he continued, his eyes still roaming over my face. I wondered if he saw the slight panic that was ruminating through me. "We won't tire out."

I rolled my eyes. Of course we would never tire physically, but mentally was a whole different situation. Would this be our lives from now on? Constantly running from Jane and her recruits? Was there any end in sight. I knew, with a painful ache in my chest that there _was_ an end in sight. Either our death, or theirs. I could only pray it would be the latter.

"What's wrong?"

I glanced over to see Edward still watching me as he ran, his body moving fluidly along the outskirts of the forest, easily keeping speed with me. His face was etched with concern, his brows pulled together. The sight only made me feel worse.

"There's no end, is there?" My voice was hoarse and I felt the familiar hot pricking to my dried eyes. There would be no tears to show for my grief. "We are going to be running for the rest of eternity, unless…" I trailed off, not even able to put the words into the night air. I didn't want to give them more life than they already had.

"Bella…" Edward reached out to me as he had while we were running from Jane and I thought for a moment that he would throw me on his back, but he only gripped me tight to him, halting both of our movements beside a large tree. His fingers combed over my now dry hair before grasping my face between his hands.

"I don't know if there is an end or what the end looks like, but I know that I am going to do everything in my power to keep you safe – to free you from this."

I shook my head, fisting my hands against his chest. "Together," I sobbed, "We have to stay together. I don't want to be free unless you are with me." And it was the undeniable truth. If we couldn't be safe, if we had to run forever…it would be okay only if we were together.

He seemed to understand what I was saying as he nodded, pressing his face into my hair.

"Yes," he breathed. "Together."

* * *

 **I hope that was worth the wait :) Finally, they are together! Sorry it took so long, but I didn't want everything to seem rushed. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	18. A Wing and a Prayer

**Disclaimer: The Twilight saga, and its respective characters, belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

 _Edward POV_

* * *

The emotions conflicting through me as we continued to run along the border of the connecting countries were volatile. _Together_ , I had promised Bella, but as we ran, as the feeling of her small hand in mine imprinted into my skin, I knew there was something that I wanted more than staying together with Bella – her safety.

I would give myself up if it would ensure her safety.

I was slowly, meticulously trying to formulate some sort of plan; some way that I could hand her over to my family. They would be able to keep her safe. Bella could not be tracked any more than my family could at the moment. A quick sight into Jane's mind as she had been trailing us told me that _I_ was the main target at the moment. I had destroyed my relation with the Volturi. Aro wanted me either in the Guard, or dead.

 _You can walk away from this with your life_ , Jane had hissed at me as I had run full speed towards the small Gulf. _Reinstate your vows to Aro – that is all he wants._

Yes, that was what _he_ wanted, but not what Jane wanted. I could see in her mind that she wanted us both dead. She never liked my superior position in the Guard, and she liked the position that Bella would take even less. No, Aro would not be quick to execute as I had assumed. It would be too much of a waste.

"Is she frightened of water?" I glanced over at Bella, studying the way the wind took her long hair, dragging it behind her like a dark, silky veil. She had calmed after a few minutes of running and now her darkened eyes were wide with curiosity.

"Not frightened," I replied. "She only distrusts its fluidity. It would be more difficult for her to keep her sights on whomever she is trying to cause pain to. She relies too heavily on her ability."

"Which is good for us, right?"

I smiled, "Very good for us." Bella's shield rendered Jane's ability inept. If Bella could strengthen her shield, if she could hold it while fighting or running, she would become exceptionally powerful. When we reached our destination, she could practice endlessly.

She grinned back at me and then looked forward, picking up her pace. I watched as she traveled across the ground seamlessly, her arms and legs moving in sync with each other; her slimmed muscles working beneath the cover of her clothing. This beautiful, trusting girl had just told me she _loved_ me; that she was _mine_. If I could keep her safe, if I could get the two of us out of this mess, we could be _together_ as mates. We could be free to love each other without the threat of danger everywhere we turned.

Her eyes fell on me again, inquisitive and a bit amused as she watched me studying her.

"What?" she asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"I love you is all," I answered and it was the indisputable truth.

Her eyes softened and her front teeth bit down into her bottom lip in an attempt to keep the smile from growing larger.

"I love you, too," she replied. The swelling of my chest was almost uncomfortable. It took every ounce of my being to continue running and not grasp her to me as I had twice now, crushing her to my warmed chest and holding her there for eternity. As though she understood the battle I was fighting within myself, she smiled again and squeezed my hand.

* * *

I could see through the minds of the humans walking up and down a nearby sidewalk the line of shops catered to the tourists of Costa Rica. We had entered the country only moments before and I knew a phone call home was expected at this point.

"This way," I murmured, slowing enough so that Bella could follow the detour. We cut through the woods and landed on the side of a busy street. It was nighttime and the vacationing populations were full of life.

"There's a payphone just over there." I motioned across the wide sidewalk. No one had noticed us step from the woods, but we were quickly gaining attention as we strode across the path, weaving in and out of the bustling – and drunk – humans as we went. Even beneath the dimly lit streetlights, the humans could see we were too pale for Costa Rican life. I scanned the crowds, opening my mind so that the grating buzz turned to full voices, some amused, some sad, some too inebriated for much other than blank minds.

"We don't have any change," Bella noted as she pointed to the sign denoting the payment for the use of the phone. I grimaced and then moved slightly away from her into the path of an intoxicated man. I could hear the change jingling in his pockets from a mile away.

"¡Con permiso!" He glared towards me, not even noticing as I picked the coins from his jacket pocket. "¡Malditos turistas!" The man he was with snickered, just as intoxicated as his friend. Bella watched, amused, as I held out my hand to her. Five coins sat in my palm.

"Only borrowing," I assured her with a smirk. She shook her head with a laugh.

I recalled the number that had flashed across the screen of the other two cellphones and dialed Alice as quickly as possible. Bella leaned against me, the fingers of her free hand curling into my shirt by my ribs.

 _"Edward, thank god. Are you both all right? I'm so sorry –"_

"We're fine, Al," I cut her off, glancing down into Bella's face. I wondered if Alice had seen our proclamations.

"Have you seen anything?"

 _"Jane is still around Honduras. She is waiting for Alec and Felix to arrive – I'm not sure where they are coming from, but as of now they are on a flight to Honduras. I_ think _they think you are still on that island."_

Okay, good. That was very good. That is what I had hoped they would assume.

 _"Carlisle is going to charter a small plane for you from your…destination…and it will take you to your next destination. Tell the man that Jenks sent you. He won't ask for ID or a ticket or anything. You'll basically be flying invisibly."_

"Where do we find the plane?"

 _"Once you get to your first destination, there will be a small nondescript airport by the main airport. Find a bright blue plane. He'll be waiting. He knows where to drop you off. You may have to terrorize him a little."_

A line was beginning to form behind us and Bella pressed herself closer to me, holding her breath. We would need to hunt soon. All of the physical exertion had drained our energy.

"Thank you, Alice," I breathed, glancing at the middle-aged man standing behind us. I could see through his mind that his eyes – and attention – were on Bella.

 _"I only hope that was descriptive, and_ not _descriptive enough."_

"It was perfect. Tell the family I said thank you, as well."

 _"Will do. Try to get to another phone after you land. Good luck."_ She hung up without another word and I placed the phone on the receiver, tightening my arm around Bella as I pulled her away from the human lineup. I glared at the man that watched as she left.

"Do you know the destinations that Alice was talking about?" Bella asked once we were out of earshot of the destructive humans.

"Yes. The first is Panama City. The second…I _think_ I know where she is referring to, but I guess we'll have to see once we land."

She fell silent beside me, her hand resting against my chest until we reached the woods once more. No one paid us any mind as we slipped back through the thick forest. Suddenly, she inhaled sharply, looking up at me.

"What is it?" I studied her face closely, trying to ascertain what had happened. She looked okay – beautiful, as always.

"My sunglasses…I left them in the car."

"Oh. Well, it should be all right."

Her voice and expression were alarmed, "But my eyes –!"

"Are too dark for anyone to notice anything strange," I reassured her softly, smoothing her hair. "Plus, if Alice is correct, after your next hunt they will be light enough to pass for gold." I squeezed her hand at the uncertainty in her eyes.

"Don't worry," I added, "humans are not as perceptive as you'd believe." This was true and I tapped my temple, "I should know."

Her mouth pulled into a lovely smile and she leaned up on her tiptoes, her lips moving to press to my cheek but that wasn't enough for me. I turned my head quickly at the last possible moment and pressed my mouth to hers. Her lips parted slightly in surprise and I inhaled quickly, wanting to taste as much of her as possible. My tongue skimmed along her bottom lip and she gasped, flinging her arms around my neck and pulling me closer to her. She molded her small body along mine, her mouth eager beneath my own. My senses muddled, my mind becoming a flurry of her taste, her sounds, her body pressed to mine and I forced myself to pull away, keeping my eyes closed.

"Sorry," Bella gasped, trying to move away but I held her close to me still, not wanting to relinquish her just yet.

"Believe me," I sighed, "I'd much rather do _that_." If we were normal – if we were human – we could be stealing such kisses without any consequences. But the reality was, when I was so close to her, I couldn't concentrate on anything else. Namely who was around us and what they were planning to do.

"You are too much of a distraction," I laughed, finally opening my eyes. She was staring up at me, her eyes infinitely dark and wide. It was a pleasing sight.

"Now, we need to keep moving. Apparently we have a flight to catch."

* * *

We were in Panama by the time the sun was beginning to rise and I worried that the flight wouldn't be conspicuous enough. I could only hope that Alice had seen the appearance of the sun and had accommodated for it.

"Edward?"

I glanced down at Bella as she slowed to a stop just outside of Panama City. Her eyes were wide and nearly black, her gaze on the scenery just before us. I followed her line of sight, but I hardly needed to what with the bombardment of thousands of mental voices. If I wasn't careful to tune them out, they would quickly overtake me. She looked back up at me, panic setting over her features.

"You need to hunt?" I asked, taking her hand in mine. Being so new to vampire life and animal blood, I had forgotten she would become drained much faster than I would. She nodded, her free hand moving to her throat protectively. "But will we have time?"

I was almost certain the answer to that question was no, we didn't have time. But as I stared down at her pleading eyes, her worried expression, her small hand in mine, I knew that I would give her anything she wanted or needed. That included a hunt.

"There will be time," I assured her. "There is some small wildlife in the surrounding area. Why don't you go hunt one?"

"You aren't hunting?" She looked up at me warily.

"I will once we land. I'll need to keep my mind concentrated on our surroundings just in case."

She thought for a moment and I wished I could have a glance into her mind. "I can wait, too…" But she was watching the humans moving about the parking garage and terminals surrounding the large airport, her pupils dilating as she studied their movements. No, she really couldn't wait, and if we had to land somewhere desolate for fear of the sun, I wasn't sure when she'd have another chance.

I bent down to press my lips to the corner of her mouth as she continued to watch the humans. Her eyes flickered quickly to me.

"Go hunt, Bella. It will be fine."

She took a breath before closing her eyes and nodding. I didn't miss the pained look to her eyes when she looked back up at me. I was confused and concerned. "I'll only be gone for ten minutes," she whispered. She leaned up to kiss me and I held her face between my hands.

"Not too far, please. I would like to keep an eye on you as well." She only nodded and then took off as soon as I released her. I stood on the outskirts of the woods, scanning the monotonous voices for anything threatening, but it seemed we were safe for now. Wherever Jane was, waiting for Alec and Felix, it was not here.

I listened for the sounds of Bella hunting. She was taking down a large herbivore – a quick kill. It would not be nearly enough to sate her, but she flitted quickly to my side once more, her expression calmer now.

"Will that be enough?" I asked, my eyes roaming over her delicate features. There was a faint flush to her pale skin thanks to the hunt. She looked lovely, but her clothing did not.

"I tried to stay clean…but I also tried to be quick," she said quietly. I bit my lip, a very Bella-like habit, as I studied the bloodstained shirt and jeans. We didn't have the duffel bag for obvious reasons, and so there was nothing for her to change into.

"I'm sorry. I make everything ten times more difficult," she huffed, looking down at herself.

"Nonsense," I hushed her, grasping her chin between my fingers and tipping her face to mine. "I am going to get you some clothing." There was a cart of suitcases sitting beside a dark red SUV. If I was quick enough – which I could be – I could take one before the family even realized what had happened. I pressed my lips to hers hastily before darting towards the entrance to the airport.

No one noticed a blur of motion as I grasped the medium sized red luggage from the center of the pile. I was swift enough that none of the other cases collapsed; they only shifted down a few inches to cover the sudden opening. I was before Bella in an instant, immediately unzipping the bag.

"I feel…bad," Bella hesitated as I threw a black tank top and a soft pair of tan pants at her.

"Would you feel worse borrowing two articles of clothing, or terrifying hundreds of humans as you walk through the crowds, covered in blood?"

She rolled her eyes and held the clothing in her outstretched hands. "If you say it that way," she derided. I smirked. "I'll be right back." Another two seconds and the suitcase was on top of the others, no one the wiser.

Bella was just pulling the tank top down her stomach when I arrived back in the woods, I stared at her, awed by the sight before me. I had never seen so much if her skin exposed; it only made me want to see more. She was breathtaking. Her skin was pale and flawless as any vampire, but more exquisite. More appealing.

"What?" She asked, her eyes widening as she glanced at herself.

"You look beautiful," I said with a soft smile. "The pants are too long." I bent to roll them at the bottom, my fingers lingering on her ankles for a moment too long. There were more bite marks, I realized, along each of her ankles. I brushed my fingers over them, angered with whomever had marked her in such a way. The additional marks would have only cause more sources of pain during her transformation. I wanted to press my lips to each one.

"How are you feeling?" I asked as I was standing before her again. She was biting her lip and eyeing me curiously. "Was one deer enough?"

"Enough to take the edge off," she answered.

Her teeth released their hold of her lip and I watched as her mouth turned up at the corners. She had a very pretty mouth and kissing it had quickly become a priority. I wasn't sure how much time we had together, so I was going to make use of any time we had, whether that be kissing her or simply holding her hand. Any touch I could have, I would take.

"Are my eyes gold?" She asked excitedly. I leaned forward unnecessarily with a smile. They were still dark due to the lack of blood, but the color was a dark ocher now, not burgundy.

"Dark gold," I replied, "They are passable. You'll be fine."

"Thank god," she laughed. "Are they pretty?" I rolled my eyes.

"They were pretty before and they are pretty now. Gorgeous, really."

She smiled shyly and I stroked along her jaw with my knuckles.

 _…Jenks said they'd be here by now…_

I glanced towards the distressed voice, eyeing a small field beside the airport.

"We'd better get going," I said, holding my hand out. Bella took it quickly, her grasp tight in my own as I pulled us along the side of the airport. No one paid us any attention as we rounded the parking garage and made our way to the field. In the far left corner partially hidden by a large bush sat a small blue plane. The pilot, who was sitting on a large out cropped rock, stood quickly upon our arrival. His face was ashen and I could hear Jenks had filled him in on the strange existence of our family.

He didn't know what we were, but Jasper had always ensured to instill enough fear through Jenks whenever a meeting with him was necessary. He feared our family and had obviously relented these fears to the pilot.

"We are with Jenks," I stated needlessly. He knew by our countenance. He nodded once. _Looks pretty young to have so much power. I wonder if Jenks was pulling my leg…_

I scowled at his thoughts, knowing it would get us nowhere if he didn't fear us the way Jenks did. I let my top lip curl, baring my teeth just slightly and the pilot swallowed, a bead of sweat forming along his hairline.

 _Definitely not pulling my leg. Who are these people?!_

"Yes, sir. My name is Maurice and I will be your pilot." He pulled open the small metallic door of the back of the plane. There were three connected seats along the back, separated from the cockpit. Alice must have requested such a separation and as I glanced at Bella, motioning for her to step in, I could see why. She would have plenty of questions. Questions that it would be prudent the pilot not hear.

"Maurice, you are not speak a word to anyone about where we are going, is that clear?"

He hesitated, his eyes widening. _I really should not have let Jenks talk me into this one. I owed him, but still… This does not sound like something I want to be involved in._

"Understood, sir," he replied despite his inner turmoil.

 _Jenks said not to, but maybe I should contact the authorities…_

I glared into his beady eyes. This was not the time for heroics. Was this what Alice had in mind when she said I would need to terrorize him? Well, that was definitely something I could do. He cowered back just slightly and Bella halted her step to move towards the blue door, looking at me quizzically.

"Contacting the authorities will not be necessary."

 _Holy fuck… Can he – can you read my mind?_

"Please. We are in a hurry," I stressed darkly. He fought with himself, wondering whether I actually could read his mind, or I had just guessed as to where his mind had run to before he nodded once, his eyes still wide with fear.

 _Almost as terrifying as the blonde kid._ I saw through his mind a flash of Jasper and Jenks together, speaking with Maurice. So Jasper had whittled his way into the man. He should know better than to go against our wishes, then. That was where all of his fright had come from.

Bella looked towards the pilot and then back to me and I tilted my chin towards the opened door. "Get in, Bella." She did as I asked with one last, almost apologetic glance towards Maurice.

 _She seems nice at least. Is this some sort of witness protection service?_

He was fairly close to reaching the mark. I turned to Maurice before getting in behind Bella.

"If you get us to our destination quickly and with no interruptions, there will be an impressive reward for you," his eyes lit up at my bribe. "And an even more impressive reward if you forget you saw us at all," I added.

 _Not a problem, kid._

"Yes, sir."

Alice would keep an eye out to ensure he didn't talk and, I'm sure if that was a future plan of his, he would be receiving another visit from Jasper. He closed and locked the heavy door beside us, avoiding eye contact as I watched him bolt over the bright blue door.

He maneuvered the glass holding over the cockpit to get inside.

 _Mother have mercy. Give me strength,_ he said to himself and I couldn't help but to chuckle.

"What?" Bella asked, turning to look at me. I moved more to the center of the seats and pulled her against me, grasping her hand in mine.

"The pilot is very wary is all," I answered. Her brow creased slightly.

"Don't worry," I murmured, pulling her fingers to my lips. I pressed a kiss to the tips of each one. "He is a very experienced pilot," I reassured her softly. Not that it would much matter. If the plane were to crash, we would easily walk away without a scratch. She stared at me for a moment before sighing and resting her head against my shoulder. She pulled our interlaced hands to her lap, rubbing her thumb against the back of my hand.

"I don't doubt his piloting skills," she said quietly, "I only hope we aren't followed."

Yes, that _would_ be very bad…

* * *

 **Edward's POV?! Unheard of! Sorry it's been so long since I've posted from Edward's POV (I think, at least...), but I figured it was his time to shine, figuratively, of course. Thank you for reading, and sorry if I offended anyone with my horrible Spanish translations. I took seven years of French...I know nothing about the Spanish language. Hopefully the next chapter will be up shortly!**


	19. Flight of Fancy

**I do not own the Twilight Saga or its characters. Stephenie Meyer claims all rights.**

* * *

 _Bella POV_

"I've been given instructions to land at point B along the waterfront," the pilot, Maurice, said as he turned to glance at us from the front of the plane. There was a small glass divider that looked incredibly thick between us.

"Mainland," Edward corrected quickly and after a quick nod, the pilot slid the glass back between us and the plane began a quick forward drive and takeoff.

"Where are we going?" I whispered, turning my head up to look at Edward. He was studying the controls ahead of us, just beside the pilot. I wondered briefly whether he knew how to fly.

"I'll tell you a bit further into the flight. I don't want to chance being overheard."

"Are…" My eyes flickered to the pilot before I said too much.

"He can't hear us," Edward assured me.

"Are they anywhere near us?"

"Not that I can hear, but it wouldn't surprise me. Aro seems to have a way to get around everyone's ability."

That did not sound good. Were there more after us now? I glanced back towards the front of the plane. Maurice was silently flying, barely even moving the plane as we floated at an even level in the sky. This flight was not nearly as nice as the others. It was bumpier and more cramped. I pressed myself against Edward tighter, inhaling his honey aroma.

I lowered my shield just a bit. _Who is he?_ I asked quickly. Edward looked down at me, stunned, and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

"He can't hear you," he reminded me.

 _I know._

His eyebrows rose in amusement. "You know I'll have to answer out loud, right? That's not how my ability works." I couldn't help but to laugh at his tone as I let my shield cover me again. He grimaced, closing his eyes.

"Someday I'll get you to leave it down for an entire day. I'd love to know what goes on inside that beautiful head of yours."

I smiled, glancing down at our hands.

"Maybe," I conceded. He shook his head with a smile.

"Actually," I said quickly, sitting up a bit higher. If I wanted real answers, I was going to need to focus on the questions. "First, who is Jenks?"

"Jenks is…the human lawyer that allows us to live as we do, basically. He forges documents for us; passports, birth certificates, name changes, graduation records. You name it, he does it."

"So he knows what you are…what we are?"

Edward shook his head, "He works under more of a don't ask, don't tell strategy. I've never met him myself, but I'm sure he knows something is not right."

"He must be very nice, then, to do that for you and your family."

"Or corrupt," Edward amended, but I didn't agree. Anyone who was willing to help the Cullens, even if through illegal means, did not seem corrupt to me. The Cullens were good. All they wanted was to live as the humans. Anyone willing to help them do that was a saint in my eyes.

"Not corrupt," I argued. "He's helping you do what you'd like to do while remaining a secret. I think it's very generous of him. Especially since doing this puts his job in jeopardy."

"We pay him enough that he doesn't have to work if he wishes not to." I believed this completely. The Cullens clearly had a large amount of money. "But also," Edward continued softly, "Jasper inflicts a sense of fear upon Jenks whenever we work with him. His work is not generous…it's more of a survival strategy."

"You threaten him?" I asked, gaping up at Edward. I could only imagine an elderly human man sitting as his desk, terrified of the vampire sitting across from him, demanding documentation.

"Not outright, no. Jasper only makes him feel threatened so that he will do as he is asked, and won't tell anyone we are asking."

I guess that made sense. As long as they didn't harm him…

"Okay…so who is Maurice? Alice said to tell him Jenks sent us…" Perhaps they were friends of sorts.

"Maurice is a pilot, for all I know. He owes Jenks a favor for whatever reason, and this was the favor Jenks cashed in on."

"You mean, it's the favor _Jasper_ cashed in on."

Edward smirked. "You do realize that this favor, whether stolen or not, is saving your life, right?"

I held my breath, staring into his golden eyes. They were darker than normal, but still just as beautiful…just as intense. He was right. This favor _was_ saving my life. _Every_ favor was saving my life at the moment…

I collapsed against Edward once more, holding onto his arm tightly as I buried my face in his chest. My eyes burned with unshed tears and I wished I was human again. I wished I could cry away the fright and stress and panic running through me at all times. I wish I could cry to show Edward my gratitude. "Yes, I know," I groaned, "and I will be eternally grateful to you and your family and Jenks and Maurice. To everyone involved. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you, Edward."

"You won't have to repay me," he murmured, brushing his hand along my cheek, cupping my face gently. "As long as we get out of this…as long as we are together, that is payment enough. I love you, Bella, and all I want is for you to be safe."

My heart felt as though it were trying to restart itself at his words.

"I love you, too, Edward. So much. And we _will_ stay together. We protect each other, remember?"

His brow creased at my words, his eyes intense and pained as he let his thumb stroke across my cheekbone. His hand held my face as he leaned into me.

"Forever," he whispered, his mouth just barely brushing against mine.

"Forever," I agreed.

He stared at me a moment longer, his face still crumbled in a soft pain that confused me, but I hardly had time to determine the reason behind the emotion as he pulled my face to his, crashing his lips to mine. This kiss was different than others we had shared. It was less panicked, less frantic, and more emotional. It was as though he was telling me exactly how he felt through his lips and as his tongue drew across my bottom lip, I could taste how he felt about me. The sweet, tender honey was filled with love and desire as I parted my mouth for him, letting his tongue explore my mouth.

It was much like the kiss after the phone call, but more desolate somehow. It was as though he was trying to communicate his sorrow and need to protect at the same time. He pulled away after a moment and leaned his mouth against my forehead, keeping it there for a few seconds.

"I only wish we could have met under different circumstances," Edward breathed against my skin and I closed my eyes.

"Different may have been worse," I responded. "If you hadn't come with Demetri, we would have met in Volterra and there is no way we would have been able to escape then. At least now…here…we have a fighting chance."

"I only wish I had stopped him earlier. I shouldn't have let him inject you. I shouldn't have agreed –" I cut him off quickly as I grasped his beautiful face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. His eyes were even more pained and I knew I needed to set him straight.

"Edward, _none_ of this was your fault, do you understand? You were a member of the Guard – unwillingly, but a member nonetheless. I may not know much about Aro, but I do know that you do not go against his word unless you want to be killed. And you had much more at stake than your own life; you were trying to protect your family as well. If you hadn't been with Demetri, I'd be fitted with a robe by now. I would have been tortured, most likely, in his attempt to test my shield." Edward flinched at this and tried to turn away from me, but he needed to hear. "No! Listen! Whether or not I was injected hardly makes any difference. You attacked Demetri to save me. You think that you've put me in this position but the reality is that I did. I put myself in this position by having this shield in the first place. You're giving me more of a chance at a life than I have ever had. Sure, it includes being mercilessly hunted by vampires intent on my capture, but I've also met my mate through this process. I've met the man that I want to spend my life with. The only man I have ever loved, vampire or human." I paused, my wide eyes frozen on his. The pain had disintegrated into something akin to awe and I quickly pressed my lips to his, still holding his head to me.

"It's as though fate had some sick, twisted way of putting us together," I finished with a slight smile. Would we have even had such a chance if we were both forced into Aro's Guard? Would there have even been any hope for love? But I knew, as I stared at this vampire that had my heart completely, that wherever he was, was where my heart was. No matter the circumstances in which we had met, I would have fallen in love with him.

"You have such a way with words, love," Edward said before grasping my hips and pulling me onto his lap. I sat astride him as he tilted his head, capturing my mouth quickly and roughly. My lips parted eagerly, exhaling gently against him as he let his tongue dart into my waiting mouth, stroking against my own tongue. His hands moved to my hair, desperate and holding me in place as he continued ravishing my mouth as though I were his last option for survival; as though I was the very life essence he needed. I moaned at the thought of Edward needing me so and he growled, the sound vibrating deep within his chest.

His mouth moved across my cheek and to my jaw before pressing open mouthed kisses along my throat. I gasped, tilting my head with another moan. I wanted him badly…I needed him more than I had ever needed anything in my life. My thighs tightened around him on instinct, trying to pull myself closer…trying to soothe the burning ache within me, and his hands quickly grasped my hips once more, stopping me from moving closer.

"Careful, love," he growled in a low voice, "We don't need to destroy the interior of the plane."

As he spoke, his fingers danced at my hips and then quickly moved beneath the hem of my shirt, tickling the sensitive skin of my stomach. I gasped, pressing my lips to his jaw.

"Then you'd better stop touching me like that," I groaned, flexing my hips against him involuntarily as the tips of his fingers moved along the now exposed skin of my stomach. All of the muscles within my belly clenched and he moaned at the sensation. Quickly, in a movement I didn't even see, his mouth was off of my skin, his head pressing back against the headrest as he stared down at me through hooded eyes. His irises were black now, the sight overwhelming me.

His face was too far away to kiss, so I settled on dragging my hands down his solid chest. He grabbed them quickly, pulling them to his lips.

"Look out the window," he whispered and I reluctantly tore my gaze from his to see what he was referring to. There wasn't much to see, mainly clouds and distant trees, but as we circled lower I saw a large statue of a god-like man, his arms outstretched, his body dressed in robes. The statue stood atop a large hill, glistening in the afternoon sun. I stared in awe, clambering off of Edward's lap to get a better view. It was breathtaking.

"Brazil?" I asked, turning back to glance at Edward. His eyes were still on me and still black as before. I took a breath, trying to focus myself.

"Rio de Janeiro," he said.

I looked back out in awe. The sun didn't touch the plane, so I was safe to watch the scenery and people, quickly coming clearer and clearer.

"We're hiding out in Rio?" It seemed lovely and beautiful but not any better than where we had been before. Surely the Volturi would spot us at some point.

"Not quite," Edward answered as the plane made a few descending loops. The glass slid slowly from the front of the plane.

"Prepare for landing, Mr. and Mrs. Platt," the pilot instructed. Edward pulled me back to him, wrapping his arms around me as I looked up at him. "Platt?" I mouthed. He only chuckled, burying his face into the crook of my neck. "Seems quite fitting," he said. I had no idea why it would be fitting or what it meant, but we landed quickly and roughly on a deserted beach terrain.

I hopped up quickly, unsure how we were going to maneuver out of the plane without Maurice seeing. The sun was high in the afternoon sky.

"Wait," Edward said quietly. I nodded, sitting back down.

The door slid open as it had before. "Destination B. Mainland," Maurice instructed.

"Thank you," Edward offered. "You will be paid generously, as I said. If you don't mind checking the signal for exact location, that would be most helpful."

"Of course," Maurice said, his eyes widening. He quickly ducked his head, moving towards the front of the plane. As soon as he was out of eyeshot, Edward grasped my hand and flung us from the plane. We landed twenty feet away in the mercurial shade of a few trees, hidden well enough that we had vanished to the pilot. I almost felt bad, but Edward tugged my hand quickly.

"This way," he breathed.

I followed, running alongside him until we reached a small outcropping where a boat was docked, a red gas tank sitting beside it. It was well hidden and I wondered if anyone had even noticed its existence. I looked at Edward questioningly, but he only smirked.

More Jasper-Jenks-Maurice, I assumed.

The boat started quickly and nearly soundlessly as we drove off, Edward telling me to keep my head down and out of the sun. He did the same and in almost an hour we were pulling onto another sandy land mass. This one was larger, but greener. It was another island.

We jumped from the boat and Edward pulled it across the beach effortlessly, pushing it deep into the forest. I followed, entranced. I could hear no sounds of human commotion, only wildlife.

"What is this?" I asked as we traveled through the thick forest, stopping just outside of a small opening. I could smell something wooded…something constructed, it seemed. A house, perhaps.

"This, my love, is Isle Esme."

He pulled apart the last tree branches and there, standing just twenty feet in front of us, was a large beach house. I gaped at the sight, turning back to Edward.

"Isle Esme as in…?"

"An island that Carlisle bought for Esme for one of their anniversaries."

Wow…

"It is the perfect hiding place. No one knows of its location, especially not the Volturi."

I stared at the massive house before us, studying the unique curvature and glass windows. I had never been in a house to stay ever since I was human. One thing was running through my mind and I turned to Edward with a wide smile.

"A shower?"

"Four," he grinned.

Four showers!

"What would you like first? A shower, a tour, or a hunt?" It was a very difficult choice. I was in desperate need of a shower, but I also wanted to hunt and that would be pointless to do _after_ a shower. But the sight of the house and the idea of living with Edward for any amount of time was winning over the rest.

"A tour!" I couldn't keep the splitting grin from my face. Edward chuckled, pulling me with him as we moved towards the breathtaking house.

"Did Esme design this?"

"She did. She designs all of our houses. Alice and Rosalie help, of course."

"Are they all this size?" The house in Forks seemed even larger than this one, if that was possible.

"They are all relatively large, yes. Seven vampires sharing a house…we all need an abundance of space." He laughed and shook his head as though remembering past arguments over space. I wished I could be in the future plans. I wished it were that easy.

"I can imagine," I breathed.

The house was just as immaculate inside as it was outside, the color scheme light and airy. I fell in love with the place as soon as he showed me the first room.

He had hesitated beside a large door before pushing it open. "Master bedroom," he murmured. I stared at the large, four-post white bed in the center.

"How many bedrooms?" I asked quietly.

"Three."

Oh…

"There's not a room for you?" I asked, glancing up at him. He was watching me intently.

"This house… This island is not exactly shared as our other houses. It's used more as a…vacation spot for the couples." If I could blush, I would have been scarlet.

"Oh…" I bit my lip. "So you've never been here?"

"I have, with Carlisle and Esme a few times," he clarified, "I helped Carlisle plan out the house that Esme desired. I helped him create her dream. But never to stay, no."

"It's a first for both of us, then," I said without thinking. I immediately regretted the words, knowing how they could be construed. This house was meant as a place for couples to…enjoy themselves. I had only meant that I had also never been here, but then again, why would I have?

I looked away from the room quickly, embarrassed. Edward chuckled, the sound a bit off and pressed his lips to my temple. It didn't help the humiliation or the growing desire as I pictured Edward and I on the very bed behind the now closed door.

"It is indeed," Edward breathed and then, thankfully, pulled me along to show me the unnecessary kitchen.

"A bit strange to not have kitchens or toilets built into the houses," he explained when I glanced at him in wonder. "The construction workers would become suspicious, I assume."

I smiled as I stretched my legs out on the large white couch by the living room, thinking about how nice it would be to live in a house, away from the elements. Edward had gone off to find a telephone to let his family know that we had arrived safely and to see if there was any news. I hoped there wasn't – no news was good news at this point. No news meant that we could remain on Isle Esme for longer than a day. It meant would could sanction ourselves to this house for longer than a night.

"What?" Edward asked, amusement coloring his tone. I glanced up, surprised he had returned so soon.

"Did you get in touch with Alice?" I asked instead. Something flickered across his face before he smiled softly. "No. There wasn't a phone. I will try when we go back to the mainland. Tomorrow, perhaps. Now," he sat down brushing his finger along my cheek, "What were you thinking about before?" I smiled.

"It's just nice to…stop, you know? To not be on the run at the moment." Of course, we were still on the run, but more stationary for now.

"It is nice," he agreed, pulling me closer to him. I lifted his arm to fit myself into his side. "But anywhere I am with you is okay with me at the moment."

"Mm," I hummed, tilting my head up to look at him. He was glorious with his sharp jaw, straight nose, and mess of copper hair. He was stunningly god-like. "But if we were running right now, we wouldn't have a chance to do this." I pushed myself up, twisting my fingers in his hair and capturing his mouth with my own. He responded eagerly, deepening the kiss.

"Yes, that is true," he conceded before kissing me again. His hand drifted over my stomach, stopping on my ribs.

"Shall we hunt?" he mused after another moment, pulling away from me slightly. I pouted and he kissed my lower lip as it jutted out.

"I guess so," I sighed, moving to stand. He held tight to me, though, not releasing me from the couch.

"One moment," he said before clasping my face between his hands and kissing me again. I laughed, falling back into the kiss.

"You were right," he said, panting slightly. "We wouldn't have a chance for that. We should take all the chances we can get." I gasped as he pulled me to him again, kissing me with abandon. I pulled away quickly, staring at him. His eyes were midnight and swarming with desire.

"Hunt?" I reminded him and he smirked.

"Of course."

* * *

"I've never seen you hunt," I said softly as we walked through the forest, hand in hand. He had been looking out towards the trees and his eyes flickered to me.

"I haven't seen you hunt, either," he said with a small smile.

I was nervous for many reasons, the utmost being that I was unbelievably gruesome in my kills. I had not conquered the art of a flawless kill as Edward clearly could. I wasn't so sure I wanted to be seen decimating a live animal. But the truth was, I was desperate to watch Edward hunt, and I knew watching me hunt came with the territory.

"We always stay north of the house," he said suddenly, motioning towards the woods before us. "There are small communities that live in the south and its best to stay clear of their territories."

I nodded my understanding and he squeezed my hand. I wasn't sure why he was telling me this information. We would be together on hunts; I would always follow his lead.

"And we try not to kill too many from one species. We have to keep the populations somewhat stable so we don't end up wiping out the entire living island."

"Variety is always good," I said and then made a face. Was there variety in animal blood? There was in human blood. There was a lot of delicious variety. All the animal blood I had drank tasted the same.

"Don't worry," Edward soothed, running the back of our joined hands over my cheek gently, "The longer you sustain yourself on animal blood, the more unique the blood begins to taste. It is a bit average in the beginning." It was like he had broken through my shield.

"Will you tell me about the time you drank from humans?" I asked, watching him carefully. He grimaced. Clearly it was not a fond memory of his.

"I suppose." His gaze flickered to me, almost determined in its set, "Not now, though. Some other time, all right?" His voice was quiet, contemplative and I nodded.

"Besides," he added, glancing out towards the setting sun, "Why speak of human blood when there is a gathering of deer just off the coastline?" It was my turn to grimace and he laughed. He motioned out towards the wooded area by the edge of the island where the sounds of grazing deer could be clearly heard.

"If we work silently enough, we can take them down at the same time," Edward said.

"Okay," I smiled and Edward squeezed my hand before letting me go. He pushed against my lower back, sending me in the direction that the herd was grazing in. I listened intently and could hear their heartbeats singularly, dividing the beats to each animal. There were five in total. I would take two and Edward could take the rest. He would need more blood than I since he hadn't hunted in a while.

I glanced back at Edward and he nodded once, his eyes training back on the direction of the herd. We took off and Edward quickly overpowered me, running lithely with a speed I could never muster. I watched, fascinated, as his muscles and bones extended and contracted like some wild cat. He hunted like one as well, trailing a large buck before lunging across the small distance.

I tried to concentrate on his technique; I really wanted to learn how to hunt immaculately, but I was quickly distracted by his mouth falling on the broken neck of the deer. A familiar, but still strange, warmth soared through my body as I watched and I wanted nothing more than to move closer to Edward as he devoured the large animal. He was majestic and god-like in his kill. It was breathtaking to watch.

He turned, his eyes immediately falling on me and he cocked his head in question. I started and then followed his lead, lunging and capturing a smaller doe before she even had a chance to realize I was there. Edward's kill had been smooth and silent; none of the animals had been perturbed. For me, it was merely not the case.

A low growl rumbled through me as the doe fought back with a loud cry before I had a chance to snap its neck. The others took off quickly in fright and I saw Edward dart after them out of the corner of my eye. He was back before I even bit into the doe's throat, his eyes alight with some emotion. I drank heavily, swallowing mouthfuls loudly as the warm blood soothed my burning throat. I could feel it moving throughout me, giving me energy and power. It was a great feeling and when I had finished, I dropped the carcass and looked down at myself. Edward stood twenty feet away by a tree, watching.

"I'm covered in blood," I whined but before I could even look up, Edward was before me, grasping me to him and capturing my mouth with his own. I gasped against him and he only took advantage as he slid his tongue into my mouth, tasting me; tasting the blood. On instinct, I threw my arms around his neck, crushing my body to his until every inch of his body was flush with mine. There was something pressing against my stomach and I gasped, realizing it was Edward's arousal. He had been aroused watching me hunt. But I, too, had been aroused watching him hunt. I wondered if it was a normal thing, to want your mate after hunting. In the moment, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

I pressed myself harder against him and he growled, stilling my hips and breaking his mouth from mine. "Not here," he hissed, dragging his lips down my throat. My eyes rolled back as my hips flexed forward. He growled again before releasing me altogether.

"Finish hunting first," he growled, his eyes black despite his recent hunt. I twisted my fingers into his hair, pulling him back down to me. He came willingly, despite his earlier words. The kiss was desperate and yearning. I wanted him so badly and this may be our only chance. Who knew how long we had in this place? Who knew when the Volturi would appear to drag us away?

"I want you," I breathed against his mouth and he groaned, his fingers digging into my hips before he let me go altogether. His clean clothes were spotted with blood, his lips and chin doused in the red liquid. It was my fault; I was covered in it.

"Let's finish hunting, first," he murmured, his eyes trained intently on me. I bit my lip, trying to quell the throbbing that had built at the apex of my thighs. "I've killed the remaining deer before they could get too far south."

Hunting was no longer on my agenda, but as I stared at Edward, I knew he was right. We needed to finish. I sighed and nodded reluctantly. He chuckled, but the sound was off as he bent forward to brush his lips to the corner of my mouth. I turned my head but he was too fast, pulling away with an amused and sensual look on his face. I licked my lips.

"Careful," he warned, "Or I won't be able to control myself."

"Then don't," I countered. He closed his eyes and took a breath. When he opened them, the dark irises had lightened ever so slightly. I pouted.

"Come," he held out his hand for me and I took it gingerly. He led us to an outcropping where the remaining three deer lay dead. "Take as many as you need. I can wait," he insisted.

I shook my head, "You take two, I'll take the last one. You haven't hunted in a while."

"I can go longer than you without a hunt, Bella. Please, take your fill."

I rolled my eyes, but ultimately stuck to my original plan, draining one of the deer quickly and then turning to Edward. His eyes were dark again as he watched me. It looked as though he would pounce any minute on me this time. "Okay," I said, "I'm full."

"You're not," he disagreed, stepping closer to me. "Your eyes are still dark. Take the largest deer and I'll teach you to stay clean." His finger dragged over the soiled sleeve of my shirt, moving up towards my collarbones. Dried blood splattered the exposed skin and his eyes roamed the droplets. I could have melted beneath his gaze. He pulled me towards the large doe.

"Try not to decimate the throat this time. Use your teeth; they are sharp. Slice through and cover the punctures with your mouth." I did as he instructed and not a drop of blood spilled. I sucked the blood from its veins deeply, the warmth radiating through me. "Better?" I asked with a grin, wiping the back of my mouth. The only blood to be found was from the previous kill. Edward hummed his answer before turning quickly and draining the remaining deer.

"We have to bury them," he said as he stalked closer to me, "but I'll take care of that later." Suddenly, his mouth was on me again, begging and pleading as his lips worshipped my own. His fingers tangled in my hair as he walked forward, pushing me back until I hit a tree. His mouth moved south, streaming over my jaw and then down my throat, further still to my collarbones. He was inadvertently cleaning the blood off as he went.

"You taste heavenly," he growled.

"I'm sure it's the blood," I managed to gasp. He shook his head slowly, letting his tongue move across the hollow of my throat. "It's just you, Bella. _You_ are heavenly."

He stood up straight then, his now gloriously golden eyes watching me. I stared up at him, trying to calm my breathing.

"A tour, a hunt…" He trailed off quietly and I licked my lips.

"A shower," I finished for him. He smiled, bending once more to kiss me and then pulled away from me completely, pulling me off of the tree. We walked through the woods, hand in hand, at a decidedly human pace. I held tight to him, resting my head on his shoulder as we continued back through the mile or so we had traveled. He smelled delicious, and he tasted even better. Showering with him was going to be something I would never forget and I could only pray that we'd have more opportunities to be together like this. I hoped that the Volturi would never find us; we could become recluses on this island, living off of the animals and each other. I would never get enough of him.

"What are you thinking about?" I glanced up to find Edward watching me, a faint smile pulling at his lips.

"You," I sighed. It was the unabashed truth.

"Oh?" He pulled his free hand through my hair before resting it on the side of my face lovingly.

"And me," I continued and his eyes darkened, "And how I wish we can have this island to ourselves for eternity. How I wish we could stay here without ever being found."

He smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. His eyes even softened and took on a more desolate look about them.

"Does that make you sad?" I asked quietly.

"Of course not, love. I wish for the same." It didn't sound as though he did as his eyebrows knit together gently.

"What is it?" I asked, moving my hand to cup his face now. His skin was so smooth and hard.

"I want you safe, is all," he muttered, "I want you safe from any threat of the Volturi. I don't want you to have to hide out; I want you to be free to do whatever it is you so choose. To be free to go anywhere you'd like without worry of someone coming after you."

"But that can't happen," I reminded him softly. "And the only place I want to be is with you; I don't care the danger we are in as long as we are together." Just the idea of not being together caused my chest to tighten. I knew that Edward was pessimistic, but did he honestly believe there was no hope? Was I being irrational holding onto hope?

"Bella?" Edward had been watching me carefully and when I didn't respond he stopped walking, forcing me to stop as well.

"Bella, look at me." I did as he asked, his pain mirroring my own. Maybe I was irrational…maybe there _wasn't_ any hope. "Please don't be upset," Edward breathed, bending so that we were eye level. But how could I not be upset? How could I not feel as though my entire world may collapse around me at any moment?

His cool fingers brushed against my cheek and then grasped my chin, tilting my face up so that he could study my expression.

"I am desperate to get into that head of yours," he said softly, almost as though to himself. And so I let him in. I let him see the tumultuous thoughts that were circling my mind without having to speak them out loud. They seemed too dramatic, too desolate to be spoken out loud. I didn't want to give voice to them.

Edward's face fell when he saw my newfound realization; my new found logic to our situation. I had, for so long, followed Edward's step and believed that he knew exactly what we were doing…exactly what would keep us alive, but I saw now that he was just as in the dark as me. We were more together in this horrifying time now than we had ever been.

 _I love you, Edward. I will always love you no matter what happens now._

I closed my mind to him again, letting the shield fall back into place. Edward's eyes had closed halfway through and opened now, intense and determined all at once.

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Bella. I will make sure of it."

I didn't like the way he chose his words. I didn't like the implication that he would protect me over himself.

* * *

 **I apologize for being a bit MIA lately! I've been working and enjoying the summer :) So, here is a bit longer of a chapter to keep you all satisfied with some particularly romantic moments that I know a lot of you are dying for ;) Thank you for reading and, as always, reviewing! I'm working on the next chapter right now!**


	20. State of Bliss

**I do not own the Twilight Saga or its characters. Stephenie Meyer claims all rights.**

 **WARNING: This story (and chapter) is rated M for a reason.**

 _Bella POV_

* * *

"Shower with me, Edward," I breathed, glancing up at him from beneath my lashes. If this was our last night of tranquility…if this was our last night together…I was going to make it the best night we have had. I was going to show Edward just how much I loved him; just how much I wanted him.

His eyes darkened and he didn't answer, but he pulled open the front glass door, allowing me inside first. I stood to the side, waiting to see what he would do. Either he would agree, and make love to me tonight, or he would tell me that this wouldn't be our last chance, and insist we wait. As fate had it, we were both well aware that waiting may not work in our favor. Waiting may find us both in Italy. Waiting may find a dark robe over my shoulders, and Edward's head off of his.

He took my hand and led me down the hallway back to the master bedroom, then across the floor to the large bathroom.

"Go run the water. I'll find us some towels," he murmured and then pressed his lips to my forehead. The touch was scorching and it set something alive within the rest of my body. Suddenly, him being only a room away was too far for me.

I did as he said, finding my way around the bathroom easily. The shower stall was bigger than any I had ever seen, although the only ones I could recall were in his house in Forks, and then in the hotel. This was definitely larger than the two combined. There were spouts along the sides and ceiling of the brown tiled shower and I stared at the many knobs, confused.

Edward returned and, with a soft smile, reached over to turn on the knob furthest from the ground. Water spewed from the ceiling only, the glass wall quickly splattering with water droplets. He dropped the towels on a shelf beside the shower and then turned to look down at me. There was an excitement lighting his eyes, but also a sadness that I was sure matched my exact expression as well.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nodded. I had never been more sure of anything in my entire existence. I had never felt about anyone the way I did Edward.

"Undress me," I whispered and he exhaled softly, a sound like a whimper coming from the back of his throat. His hands cupped my face quickly, pulling me in for a kiss that was both desperate and soft; hurried and slow. I was left panting once he pulled away. His hands moved to the hem of my tank top and with a lasting glance, I lifted my arms, and he pulled the clothing away.

He stared at me, his eyes hooded and roaming over the black bra that I had taken. It didn't much matter that it wasn't mine. None of the clothing was mine. His fingers danced across my collarbones and then up and over my shoulders before trailing down the sides of my ribs, down my waist, and moving towards the button of my pants. In one swift motion, they were off and my breathing doubled. I glanced up at him, suddenly shy, but his pitch black eyes, the look of absolute love and desire racing through them calmed me.

"You are beautiful, Bella. Absolutely breathtaking."

I smiled slightly and bit my lip. His eyes darted to the movement and suddenly his mouth was on mine, begging and giving all at once. My lips parted and I breathed against him, surrounding myself with his scent and taste. My body was on fire as his fingers traveled up my bare stomach in gentle caresses.

"Your turn," I whispered against his lips. It was hardly fair; I was standing in nothing but a bra and panties while he was fully clothed. I was desperate to see the toned chest and stomach I had felt numerous times.

He stepped away, letting me pull at the bottom of his shirt, but he had to take over when the material was too high for me to continue. I giggled and he grinned, pulling me in for another kiss.

"I love that sound," he mumbled against my lips. I looked at him fully for the first time, in awe of what I could see. His shoulders, his chest, his abdomen…every part of him was perfect and hard and contoured. It was as though he had been molded from marble to resemble the young, vigilant gods. I wanted to see more.

My fingers moved between us hesitantly, grasping the button of his jeans the way he had mine. I had never done anything like this before in my vampire or human life. He helped me to slide them off and he was standing before me in nothing but his boxers, his arousal evident and nearly making me blush. I swallowed, glancing back up at him.

"I've never… I don't know what I'm doing," I confessed. He smiled his crooked smile. It was so beautiful, so heartbreaking and I hadn't seen it in a long time.

"This is a first for me as well, Bella," he soothed. A first that we both shared… I smiled up at him.

He pulled me to him, pressing his lips to my hair, then my temple, then my cheek, then my jaw, his fingers resting on the fabric beside the clip of my bra. I shivered against his touch and he leaned away just an inch, looking at me for permission. I nodded, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth once more and he quickly and deftly unclasped the bra, letting the straps droop over my shoulders lightly. He leaned in, pressing his lips to my neck as his fingers moved the straps off of my arms, dropping the bra to the side with the rest of the clothing. Quickly, in a sudden rush to have him see all of me and to see all of him, I slid out of my panties, letting them heap as I stepped out of them.

His face was still buried against my neck and I leaned back, taking his beautiful head in my hands. His eyes were dark and desiring as they shifted to meet my gaze.

"You can look," I said with a soft smile. He bit his lip before letting his eyes travel down my body. They rested on some places more than others, dilating and darkening as if by cues given out by my naked body. Finally, after what felt like hours, his eyes flickered back to mine. Heat flooded through me at the look in his eyes.

"Is it horrible for me to think that something brilliantly beautiful came out of this entire situation?" He asked in his low, velvet voice and I smiled, shaking my head.

"No, because I feel the same way," I said, glancing at his toned shoulders and chest, drifting further to his sculpted abdomen. He was like a perfectly created marble statue. Adonis, Greek God-like in his appearance.

"You're beautiful," I sighed, awed. "Can we get in the shower?" I had a sudden realization that I was caked in dried blood. Edward chuckled, running his finger over the skin of my shoulder, further still over the rise of my right breast. My breathing hitched and my eyes slid shut. He moved on, touching his fingers gently to the marks in my elbows and on my arms. He pulled my arm up to him, kissing each mark fleetingly.

"Of course," he breathed against the cooler skin.

I opened my eyes and Edward was gloriously naked…and _large_ …in front of me. He had discarded his boxers and was pulling aside the glass door. I licked my lips, looking at him, the sight igniting a pulsing need within me.

"Bella." His tone was little more than a warning and I looked up at him, surprised. "If you look at me like that, we will never make it into the shower. Come, I want to wash you." He held his hand out to help me in and I smiled, embarrassed at having been caught ogling, but Edward was not doing much better of a job at keeping himself focused than I was. As soon as we were beneath the streams of hot water, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me from the ground, and kissing me roughly. His tongue was in my mouth and against my tongue before I even had a chance to react, and it was over just as quickly.

He placed me on the ground, his eyes wild and untamed, mimicking my own, I assumed.

"Sorry," he purred, "I couldn't help myself."

"As though I minded," I gasped, finding my footing before I collapsed. He smiled, pulling a sponge and body wash from a shelf built into the shower. Everything looked new. The soap was unused as were the shampoo bottles.

"Alice must have had the housekeepers restock," he said when he noticed my curious glance.

"Housekeepers?"

"Yes. They are humans that live on the island." He grasped my arm gently, pulling me closer to him.

"Wait," I said, grabbing the soapy sponge from his hand. "Let me clean you first. I'll probably ruin the sponge with the blood." I glanced down at the blood that was swirling at our feet, heading for the drain. Most of it was coming from the ends of my hair.

"Or I could use my hands," he offered, his voice low and husky. My breathing hitched.

"You could do that," I practically moaned. He pushed the sponge to the side, pouring soap on his large hands instead. I watched, mesmerized and yearning for his touch. He stared at my body for a moment as though deciding where to begin, but then his hands were stroking along my throat and collarbones, rubbing in circles to clean off the blood. I bit the tip of my tongue between my teeth, watching Edward as he watched his hands.

I moaned softly when his hands moved more south, brushing over my breasts and he glanced up at me, repeating the motion slower this time. I moaned, my eyes closing and he pressed his lips to mine.

He hummed, cupping my breasts and stroking his thumbs over the hardened peaks, desperate for his touch. My responding moan was breathy and drawn out. He was watching me with a mix of amusement and arousal.

"We'll come back to that," he hummed, "I love that sound."

He moved quickly over the rest of my body, washing along my stomach, amused as the muscles moved with his soft touch, and then down my legs. His fingers grazed the rest of the bite marks, his brow creasing momentarily before relaxing. He hadn't known about the four along my ankles and backs of my knees.

He lifted my leg slightly, glancing up at me. "You are so beautiful," he crooned, bending to kiss each of the marks along my legs. I sighed, the touch sending jolts of warm pleasure through me. He moved back up, his fingers trailing up my thighs and across to trace my hip bones. I bit my lip, trying to keep my hips from flexing towards him as they had in the small plane. He didn't touch anywhere between my thighs, though it was the area that ached the most for him. I was certain he could smell my arousal just as clearly as I could see his.

He stood and handed me the soap. It was my turn, now – no sponge.

His eyes were dark and on me as I followed his trail against his own body, committing the planes of his chest to memory as well as the muscles of his abdomen. He really was a spectacular sight and I glanced up at him, his eyes closed, before stroking a single finger along his arousal. He growled deep within his chest. It was a different sound than when he was being threatened or _was_ threatening. It was a more desperate, wanton sound as it rumbled through his body and into mine.

I leaned back against the warm tiles as I wrapped my hand around him as best as I could and he leaned forward as I stroked from his base to his tip just once. I stared up at him in awe. I remembered something about this from the time I had come too close to a couple in the throes of passion many months ago. The sounds and words had haunted me, but now they were almost training me. I stroked once more and Edward groaned, low and deep, tilting his head forward until his forehead rested on the tile just above my head. I was effectively trapped between the shower wall and Edward's body, not that I minded at all.

"Bella, stop," he moaned as I stroked once more, tightening my grip. He didn't sound as though he wanted me to stop, but I let go quickly, unsure if I was doing something wrong.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, embarrassed. Edward's eyes opened, darker than midnight and scorching into my own.

"Don't apologize, love. That was…amazing. But I want you in bed, not here."

"Oh…" I wasn't sure how to respond to that. What I had been doing was _good_ for Edward. It was a surprise to hear, but he was right. I wanted him in bed as well. Now. I started to pull open the glass door but Edward gripped my wrist tightly, pulling my hand from the handle.

"Your hair," he swallowed and I could see he was making a valiant effort not to have his way with me right this second. I wanted _him_ , not to continue the shower…

"There is still blood in it," he added after seeing my reluctance to listen. He stood up straight, grasping the shampoo bottle quickly. "Turn around," he ordered, his voice more controlled now. I pouted and he chuckled, but I did as he said. I didn't want to get blood all over the white pillows and sheets, regardless.

He made quick work of my hair, but as he had started, I suddenly didn't want him to stop. His fingers were like magic, brushing over my scalp and through to the ends. He turned me so that I could rinse my hair, and shampooed his in the process. Well rinsed and well aroused, we were out of the shower and in the bedroom in a second.

I stared at him as he glanced at the towel in his hand and then back to my body.

"I'm so very impatient," he breathed after a moment and I laughed, putting my hand out for the towel. He gave it to me, watching as I dried myself quickly, pulling it through my hair so that it wasn't dripping wet. He followed suit, and I realized why his hair was such a mess at all times. He never even let it sit properly on his head – he toweled it until it stuck up in all different directions and I absolutely loved it. I had a feeling I would be making it messier, though.

We stood, staring at each other for a few seconds and my chest was moving rapidly with my unnecessary panting. Unable to stand not touching him, I lunged, but he was faster, grasping me around the waist and pushing me backwards until we were both in the center of the bed, naked and together.

I stretched against him, wrapping my arms around his neck with a laugh as he skimmed his nose along my throat. He smiled against my skin, pressing a kiss just below my ear. I could feel him pressing against my stomach and I longed to touch him again…to stroke him…to hear his moan, but he beat me to it, shifting his hips against me. Almost on cue, he groaned, low and in my ear. I shivered, tightening my hold on him.

"I want you, Edward," I moaned, wrapping my legs around him, but he stopped me, pressing my thighs back to the bed.

"I want you, too, Bella, more than I have ever wanted anything in my life." He moved his head from my throat to capture my mouth with his own in another blazing, searing kiss. His tongue darted along my bottom lip and I parted my lips, giving him the access he desired. Any part of me that he wanted, he could have. I was _his_.

"You are my life, now, Bella, and I love you so much," he breathed against my mouth, deepening the kiss once more before I had a chance to reciprocate his words. My heart soared with warmth at his words.

"Edward," I breathed and in response his fingers freed themselves of my hold and stroked down along my body, brushing across my breast again, earning him a groan, and further still until his fingers were delicately brushing along my own arousal. I whimpered against his mouth, my legs parting even further for him.

"Bella," he groaned, his finger dipping into the wetness that had been gathering ever since we had hunted on the island. Another whimper escaped my lips. I was passed words now, as his fingers continued exploring my slicked arousal. I wanted him more than I ever had. I felt as though I would combust if I couldn't have him in this moment.

"Edward," I managed to moan, burying my face against his throat. Everything south of my body was beginning to contract, to hold onto some tightening sensation, feeling more like an elastic waiting to be released. His fingers were in me and around me and stroking me all at once and the sensations were too much to bare. He pulled my face back to his as my hips gyrated against his hand and I gasped against his mouth as the tightening came to a peak.

" _Yes_ , Bella," Edward moaned, his fingers moving faster, more desperate as my lungs held onto the air within them. With a sudden flourish, everything released, thousands of jolts of pleasure moving from the apex of my thighs – from Edward's talented fingers – outward. The warm pleasure drove to my curled toes, to my fingers, to the roots of my hair… I was falling and soaring at the same time, my body quivering around his fingers quickly. His fingers kept moving as I moaned along with the pleasure, my eyes rolling back into my head.

After what felt like hours, everything relaxed and Edward removed his fingers, pressing them gently to my stomach. He was watching me intently, his eyes burning into mine once I was able to open them again.

"Edward," I breathed, "That was…" There were no words to describe that sensation, but there was something else aching deep within me. I needed _him_ ; I wanted Edward inside of me. His mouth tugged at the corner and I pulled myself up, finding his lips once again.

"Please," I breathed against his mouth. "I need you now."

His lips moved away from my mouth and onto my jaw as he growled his acquiescence. He kissed me once more on the lips before staring down at me.

"I love you," he breathed, and I felt his arousal pressing against my heated thighs; I felt him positioning himself just above me.

"I love you, too," I said softly, "Forever."

He pressed his lips to mine, opening his mouth and breathing me in at the same time as his arousal pushed against me, my legs parting to give him more room. I groaned at the sensation, feeling him fill me more and more, slowly and achingly. He pulled out slightly and then pushed inside of me completely until our bodies were fully connected; until he reached my hilt. I wrapped myself around him, holding him to me as he dropped his head to my shoulder. We stayed that way for a few seconds, bathing in this newfound connection.

"Forever," he agreed quietly after a while before lifting his head and capturing my mouth again. He waited until I pressed my hips up towards him to move, and when he did, it was as though he was telling me he loved me all over again. He filled me over and over again, slowly, passionately, carefully and I held him to me, not wanting him to move further away than absolutely necessary.

I could feel his muscles moving above me, his biceps flexing as my fingers moved up his arms and over his shoulders. I studied the movement of his back, memorizing every detail to memory as he moved inside of me.

"Edward," I moaned, the sudden building, tightening feeling developing from deep within me, turning its way through my body and closer to the front of the apex of my thighs. My hands moved quickly, one weaving into his hair while the other moved between us, feeling our connection as he thrusted into me faster. The feeling of our joining was too much to handle and I groaned, my release quickening through my body. He growled as my walls began to flutter around him, lifting his head from the crook of my shoulder to stare down at me. I pressed my head back against the pillow, my hips reaching up to meet his on each thrust.

He was watching me, studying my face, studying my expressions as I gave into the pleasure, letting it wrap around me like a warm, jolting caress. He dropped his head, kissing along my cheek to the corner of my mouth in desperation and I cried out, pulling myself closer to him, practically hanging off of him as his movements quickened and hastened, becoming less fluid than before and more disjointed, more desperate.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," I crooned as he growled, running his mouth along my shoulder with open, wet kisses. He jerked against me and I felt the muscles in his back tighten and coil beneath my hands as though he was preparing to pounce. But his mouth moved quickly over my throat and up my chin, his tongue darting out to taste my skin as he went, before capturing my mouth again. It was short lived as his body froze for a moment before I felt him releasing within me, the building growl in his throat turning into a desperate roar against my cheek. I turned my head towards him, pressing my lips to every inch of skin I could reach as he jerked against me once, twice, thrice more before he dropped his head to my shoulder and his weight to my body.

I clasped his head to me, my fingers stroking soothingly through his hair as I continued to kiss along his jaw, his cheek, the side of his face until he turned his head, his mouth seeking mine. We kissed for a few minutes, slowly, thanking each other, loving each other.

"Mine," Edward breathed against my lips after a few moments, his heavenly scent washing over me and I couldn't help but to smile, raking my fingers across his scalp once more.

"Yes," I agreed. "Yours."

"I don't want to leave," he whispered after another few silent minutes of staring at each other and kissing each other anywhere on the face we could reach. He shifted within me, my body gloriously holding tight to him.

"Then don't," I challenged with a small smile. He leaned closer, capturing my mouth with his.

"I love you," he whispered. He moved his hips just slightly and we both moaned at the sensation. I wasn't sure he _could_ leave…I didn't think I would let him. He felt too good inside of me.

"To think we went from you waking in the backseat of the car, to this right now," he reared up over me as he spoke, flexing his hips slowly and I gasped, my eyes fluttering shut as pleasure radiated through me, "in such a short time."

"Not even two weeks," I agreed breathlessly.

"Although, we are a bit behind," he said and then laid back down over me, propping himself on his elbows on either side of my face, keeping the majority of his weight off of me. He was still sheathed deliciously inside of me and I wanted him to move again.

"Behind?" I asked. He smiled and pressed his lips to mine before brushing some of the wet tendrils away from my face. "When my siblings met each other, they were _together_ far faster. A few days, give or take." He made a face, "Take for Emmett and Rosalie. They barely lasted an hour."

I giggled, the movement stirring him within me and the sound quickly cut off to another moan.

"Again, Miss Swan?" he asked with a devilish smirk and all I could do was nod as he pressed his hips to mine.

* * *

Edward held me to him as though it was our last chance to be together. We laid in the bed, wrapped around each other like vines, his head resting on my chest, my fingers tangled in his hair. His hand gripped my shoulder, the other wrapped around my waist. The only sound in the room was our steady breathing and the occasional sound of a kiss pressed to skin. I drifted my mouth and nose over his now dry hair.

"You smell like strawberries," I mused with a smile. He lifted his head just enough to rest his chin on my sternum, smiling up at me. "It must be the shampoo," he said, "You smell like strawberries as well. And _you_ … It's delectable."

If I could blush, I'd be a million shades of scarlet. He shot me his famous crooked smile, his fingers tracing small patterns along my ribcage. I glanced around at our surroundings, trying to imagine what it would be like to live with Edward in such a place. A _house_ , with his family; a room to ourselves. Would it be just as magical as it feels now?

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked and my eyes flickered back to his. Would it upset him if I told him? I didn't think he liked to think about the possible future…one that would likely not happen given our circumstances.

"I was only wondering…" I trailed off, letting my eyes drift away from his now brightly golden ones.

"Yes?" he pressed when I didn't continue. His brow was slightly creased now, frustrated, and I smiled as I smoothed the lines between his eyebrows. My hand drifted down his face to cup his cheek and he closed his eyes, leaning into my touch.

"...what it would be like if we were normal vampires," I finished quietly. His eyes flicked open, "You mean, not being chased by the entire Volturi?"

I couldn't help but to laugh though it wasn't exactly a humorous statement, "Yes. How would our days go? What would we do?" Where would we stay? Would we seclude ourselves to the bed all day, doing what we just did three times in a row? I couldn't imagine ever wanting to do anything else.

"Hmm," Edward moved forward to press his lips to my ear and then started on my jaw. "I think...based on how my siblings and parents have lived..." his mouth continued its descent as he spoke, "that we would spend a lot of time telling each other of our love for one another."

"We do that now," I countered breathlessly, closing my eyes.

"You're right," he agreed, "I love you." He moved my hair to kiss along the side of my neck. "I would play piano for you...you would read to me...we would listen to Emmett and Jasper argue over a video game." I laughed at that and I could feel Edward's lips turn up into a smile against my throat.

"You play piano?" I asked, trying to imagine my Edward sitting over a dark grand piano. The sight was fitting; drastic and haunting.

"Yes," he said. "I'll play for you sometime," he added almost without thinking. His brow creased once more and he leaned in, pressing his lips to mine quickly. Who knew if we would ever get the chance.

He continued, ignoring his own comment, "You would help Esme decorate our bedroom -"

"You wouldn't want a say?" I interrupted.

"Whatever you want would be what I want," he assured me. "And then I would fight off Alice who would try to steal you from me to give you a makeover, or a manicure, or a new wardrobe...whatever is on Alice's agenda for the day." I made a face and his beautiful smile returned, though his eyes were still haunted.

"Rosalie would thank you for making me less brooding," I giggled at that, "and Carlisle would absorb your attention with recounts of his past life." His fingers danced up my sides, darting along my ribcage.

"And at night, when everyone has turned to their own rooms...," he kissed just below my ear, "…when it is just you and I alone in our room, we could do whatever you'd please."

"Like what?" I asked breathlessly, my head turning to the side against the pillow to give him more room to kiss along my throat.

"Hmm," he mused softly, "listen to music...play chess...watch a movie...this." He leaned forward, turning my head towards him with his index finger and captured my mouth with his. The kiss was slow, passionate. It made the warmth erupt in my stomach, my body tingling for him even though I had just had him three times – four, if I counted the shower. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him back down to me.

"I'd rather this," I breathed before taking his mouth again. He hummed against my lips before breaking the kiss. He stared down at me, his expression unreadable before he glanced out towards the window. The sun was beginning to rise, denoting a new day on Isle Esme. He looked back down at me and his expression was suddenly anguished. I gasped quietly, stroking my fingers along his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my eyes searching his.

"I don't want to give you false hope, Bella."

"I know that…" At least, I knew that _now_. I knew the dreams of living peacefully with his family were just that – dreams. "I know it'll never happen."

He ducked his head quickly to my shoulder, sighing. "I'm so sorry, my love," he mumbled and it was so quiet that I wasn't entirely sure I was meant to hear. He pulled back just as quickly and his face had taken on some sort of mask. A planted smile flew over his lips, but it only reached as far as his mouth. There was nothing joyous about his expression.

"What say you to a bath?" he asked softly, brushing his lips over my cheekbones.

"Okay," I complied, something settling deep in my stomach at the desperate look on his face. It's like he thought this would all be over by tomorrow…it's like he was counting away the hours.

The water in the tub was warm and soapy, white suds rising almost over the edge as Edward sat down, sliding so his back pressed to the edge. He pulled me in with him, wrapping his arms around my waist as I sat in front of him. He held me tightly to him, his chin resting on my shoulder, his eyes closed. I didn't like it; whatever was happening…whatever he _thought_ was happening, I didn't like.

"Edward?"

"Mmm?" he hummed softly, the sound vibrating through me. It sent a shiver through me.

"What's wrong?" I repeated my question from earlier, but with more intensity this time.

"Nothing, Bella. I only want you safe, is all." Something told me that was not all this was about.

"I want you safe, too," I whispered, staring at the wall in front of me. Edward was quiet for a moment, gripping me tighter and pressing his nose and forehead to my shoulder. When he spoke again, it was a haunted whisper, "Could you do me a favor, Bella?"

I swallowed, "That depends." If he was going to ask me to leave him, then no…I couldn't do that.

His voice was strained now, eerily desperate, "If you have a chance to escape, please take it. Don't wait for me, do you understand?"

I tried to control my breathing. "Yes, I understand…" I trailed off, leaving the "but," hanging silently in the air between us. He heard it anyhow.

"Will you save yourself, if you get the chance?" He countered and I was sure that if he could cry, he would be doing so right now. I froze in the water.

"If I said yes, would it make you happy?" I wouldn't mean it, of course. I would never save myself and leave him to suffer – _ever_.

"Not unless you meant it," he sighed, but he sounded better now…less despairing. Quickly, I turned so that we were facing each other. His expression was wary.

"I'm staying with you," I stated harshly, hoping that my words were not going in one ear and out the other. He stared at me for a few seconds, his eyes imploringly sad before he leaned in, capturing my mouth with his. I grasped his face tightly between my wet, soapy hands, tilting his head up so that I could kiss him harder…deeper. The kiss turned desperate, seeking, pained and before I knew what was happening, Edward was lifting me slightly and I was sinking back onto him, our moans mixing between our mouths.

He filled me completely, deeper than before with this position and I rocked against him gently, unsure of how to move in this new position. He knew, though, as he grabbed my hips and lifted me slowly, sinking himself back inside of me as he dropped me down even slower. I moaned and he released my mouth, sliding his lips down my chin, over my throat, and to my chest. He kissed across the expanse of my breasts, moving further south to close his mouth around one hardened peak. I writhed beneath him, whimpering as his tongue danced around the small rosebud.

He moaned as I lifted my hips on my own, setting myself back over him, taking his cues as he continued torturing my breasts with his mouth and hand. One was adored by his mouth while the other was caressed with his skilled fingers and he would switch, ensuring each breast and each peak got enough of his passionate mouth.

I cried out as I came around him, hard and unexpectedly, the extra sensations delivered from my breasts sending even more shockwaves through my body, straight to my groin. I tilted my head back, riding out the waves of intense pleasure and he released my breast, dragging his lips and tongue over my exposed throat as he tightened his grip on my hips, holding me in place as he growled out his release.

I fell into him and he wrapped his arms tightly around me, holding me to him as I held him to me. His face buried into my neck and his shoulders shook just slightly beneath me as my nails stroked gently across his flawless, marbled back. I thought that perhaps he was crying tearlessly as only vampires could, but I didn't want to ask why. I didn't want to know what he knew was coming…what he believed was coming. I wanted to stay naively in the dark, here, with him.

After a few moments, he pulled back and his face was drawn, lifeless almost as he pulled me off of him, placing me gently back into the water. It had absorbed the chill from our bodies and was less than warm now. He pulled the small plug, letting the water drain around us and lifted me into his arms, cradling me like a small child. His lips pressed fleetingly to my forehead before he placed me back in the bedroom.

"I'll be right back," he assured me with another lasting kiss. "I'm going to find some clothing."

He left the room in a dash and I moved to stare at myself in the mirror. My face now, too, had taken on a deserted quality, and it was such a strange mix being so desperately in love and happy in that love, and knowing it could all crash around me in a moment's notice. Almost as though on cue, a shrill buzzing came from a small silver device that I hadn't seen before. Edward had said he couldn't find a phone yesterday when we arrived…

I answered quickly, warily.

" _Bella?"_

"Alice," I sighed, relieved for once. My entire body seemed to sag under the pressure.

" _Hi, Bella… Is Edward there?"_ Her voice sounded off; safe. Was this the Volturi playing another trick?

"He's…not at the moment," I said quietly.

" _It's me, Bella. It's all right. I'm not going to ask where you are or give you any destinations."_ I breathed, grateful it was Alice.

"What is happening? Have you seen anything? Edward has been…" Desolate? Depressed? Anxious? "…despairing," I chose. Alice was silent for a little while.

" _I haven't seen anything so far, but you know how Edward can be. He's very…melodramatic. He tends to brood. I wouldn't worry, Bella. We're going to keep you safe."_ There it was again. That word – _safe_. Why was it only for me? Why was it suddenly only my safety?

" _Could I speak with Edward, Bella?"_

"He's not…" A large, pale hand shot out in front of me and I looked up, surprised. Edward's face was careful as he looked at me. I handed him the phone wordlessly, staring back at him.

"Why don't you go dress, Bella? I've left the clothes in the room across the hall. I'll let you know what she says." I glanced at his once gloriously naked body. He was dressed now in dark jeans and an equally dark button up shirt. I did as he said, slowly walking out of the room.

There was a wide variety of clothing in many sizes and I wondered if the housekeepers had been told to stalk the closet with anything they could find. The long sleeved white shirt and the light washed jeans he had set out for me on the adjoining bed were small and four in size. Alice's cryptic words from seemingly forever ago. Had she known this would happen? Did she know what was happening right now? I dressed quickly, carelessly and then meandered out of the room and into the unused kitchen. I figured Edward would want time to speak with his family, and though I desperately wanted to eavesdrop, the hushed tones he was using while speaking to Alice told me he would rather I didn't.

I was studying the different utensils piled in the drawers, wondering whether they had ever been used before when hard arms wrapped tightly around my waist.

"Come sit with me," Edward murmured, turning me in his arms and pulling me towards the expansive couch. His face was more relaxed now; not happy, but not as anguished.

"What did Alice say?" I asked as he pulled me into his lap, holding me tightly to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, staring down into his golden eyes.

"Nothing too much. She's still keeping an eye out. She'll call if she sees anything." I stared at him, watching as his eyes widened with innocence, but I could see the hint of some other emotion flickering softly in the back of his eyes. Something disturbing; desolate.

"What else?" I asked, pulling from him slightly. He only tightened his grip, pulling me back as though he didn't want to release me for a single second.

"That was it."

I huffed, my fingers tangling into his bronze hair. "If you think I believe that, Edward Cullen, then you must think I am stupid."

He gazed at me for a moment longer before ducking his head into the crook of my neck, but not before I saw the carefully constructed mask slip. It was the same anguish, the same desolation, only heightened now.

"She's…we've lost track of Jane, Alec, and Felix." My muscles froze at his words, "We don't know where they are. We can't even pin them to a country anymore."

"Are they not making decisions?" I asked, staring blankly at the white bricked fireplace in front of us. Edward's head was still pressed to my neck, his words soft and muffled, "They are making too many. They know she is watching, so they are all deciding different things constantly to throw her off."

"Why didn't you want me to hear that conversation?" I asked, scratching my fingers through his hair. He didn't answer at first and then pulled away to look at me a few seconds later. His eyes were cautious; guarded. "I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily."

I wanted to roll me eyes at his concern – it would have been my natural reaction if not for the fear that had gripped me. "Well…don't worry about me," I said quietly. He pulled back to look at me, his eyes morose. Alice wasn't kidding...he really was melodramatic. Although, perhaps he had reason to be. Perhaps he wasn't being melodramatic at all…perhaps the situation was really as dire as he made it out to be.

"So is there no hope, then?" I asked, my eyes searching his, "Do we just give up and let them take us?" My voice had taken on an uncharacteristically high note and Edward smoothed back my hair, running his hands from the crown to my waist.

"Shh, Bella," he hushed, "I won't let anyone take you. It won't come to that. I'm going to keep you safe." His eyes, for once, were so earnest. The despair had vanished only for these words. He truly meant it; he truly was going to keep me safe no matter what.

"And yourself," I demanded harshly. He looked confused.

"You keep yourself safe, as well," I hissed.

His face fell, "You're my priority."

"And you're mine."

I guess, in a way, it would be all right. If he only cared about my safety, and I only cared about his, we could both, somehow, remain safe. But something else was bubbling from the back of my mind and I glared at him. He looked taken aback.

"Why did Alice say she would keep me safe as well?"

"Because they want us safe," he answered, confused.

"No…" I pulled his hands from my hair, holding them in my own, "She said that they will keep _me_ safe. Not _us_ , me. Edward…" His golden eyes melted, liquefying as he stared at me and I knew what he was doing. He was attempting to dazzle me away from any realization. I focused on the problem at hand. "What did you do, Edward," I demanded.

He ignored my question, leaning into me to kiss me, to make me forget, but I backed away. His face crumbled with pain and I immediately regretted not letting him kiss me. After all, how much time did we have left?

"Don't," he breathed and the word was choked.

My brow creased as I stared at him, wishing, for once, that I was the mind reader. "What did you do?" I repeated, horrified now.

His eyes flickered away towards the window, "I've only asked them to protect you above all else."

I blanched. "Edward…you can't ask them to do that. They don't even _know_ me…. You are their brother…their son…you can't put them in a situation like that. I…it's…" I trailed off, shaking my head, but the anguish written over Edward's features quickly turned to anger.

"They will _do it_ because I've asked them to. They will _do it_ because you are my mate. They will do it because none of them will want to have to deal with me for the rest of eternity if I lose you because _I couldn't protect you_." His infuriated words were streaming faster and faster, his eyes glazing over in his fury and I quickly let go of his hands, stroking my fingers along his face instead to soothe him.

"Okay, okay, Edward, it's okay." Besides, this was entirely hypothetical. He wouldn't tell them where we were to keep them safe. This was just on a chance encounter that they had to decide between me, and him. It would never happen because I would never let it happen.

His eyes focused again, darting quickly to my face.

"I won't lose you, Bella," he continued, his voice more firm now, "I won't want to deal with _myself_ for the rest of eternity if I lose you. Well…" He trailed off, his eyes glued to mine and then suddenly he was pulling me to him, his lips capturing mine in a desperate, wanton, fury, and anguish-induced kiss. I kissed him back just as passionately, not even wanting to think about what followed the "well." I didn't even want to think about what his mind could come up with that would allow his voice to drop on the word.

It was moot, anyway. I would protect him as he would protect me.

Our mouths and tongues continued their desperate searching as I shifted my position on his lap so I could straddle him. He moaned against my mouth, flexing his hips up towards me. How could we possibly continue to run…how could we possibly drive for hours on end with this new activity we had begun? I was instantly hooked; instantly addicted to Edward and the feelings he could bring to me.

His hands moved from their tangled hold on my hair to cup my breasts and I groaned against his mouth. I hadn't bothered putting on a bra, and so every sensation that his fingers brought to me could be felt straight through the thin fabric of my shirt. He kneaded and pinched and stroked and each touch brought another whimper, another breathy moan from my mouth until he lifted me just slightly and when I moved back to him, my jeans and his jeans had both been discarded.

His fingers dug into the fabric of my shirt and I pulled my mouth from his just long enough to say, "Rip it." But he shook his head, pulling my face back to his. "You look like an angel in white," he breathed against my mouth, "Luminescent."

I gasped as his fingers dove beneath the shirt, continuing their work on my breasts.

"Edward," I moaned, grinding my hips against his hard arousal. He exhaled sharply at the sensation and I didn't even need to say another word before his fingers were dancing across my own arousal, spreading the dripping wetness that had ultimately ruined my panties. He groaned, pulling his fingers away and pushing them into his mouth, tasting me. His eyes rolled back.

"You taste heavenly," he breathed, and it was the same words from the hunt when he had cleaned the blood from my body. I bit my lip at the unbelievably arousing sight. I needed him now.

"Let me taste more of you," he whispered, brushing his lips against the corner of my mouth, but I couldn't wait any longer. The throb had built to an uncomfortable pace deep within me and I wanted him in me.

"Next time," I breathed against his jaw and he groaned as I pulled him free and lifted myself. And there _would_ be a next time. Our resounding moans as I moved over him built into a crescendo through the empty house and he growled, gripping me tightly to him. He moved me at a steady pace, slower than usual. It was breathtaking and fulfilling, bringing elongating pleasurable jolts through my body as he moved beneath me, his eyes trained on me the entire time.

I tried to watch him, I really did, but as the pleasure built to a peak, it was difficult to do anything but to grasp him tightly, to let my head fall back. He joined me, his mouth moving over my exposed throat until my head dropped back to him, seeking his lips once more as I rode out the aftershocks of my orgasm, memorizing the feeling of Edward so deep within me.

I would never tire of this…of him…of us and as I lay, my head on his chest, his fingers in my hair, I knew that no matter what happened during our travels; no matter who protected who…we would always have this. We would always have this as long as we were together.

* * *

 **Hello! Hopefully I didn't make you wait too long for this chapter! I know it's what a lot of you wanted to read ;) As always, thanks for reading and, especially, your reviews! I love reading them, they make my day!**


	21. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**A/N: HI. Wow, long time, no post? So, for some reason, after posting the previous chapter, FanFiction would not let me post any new chapters. Well, it would seem like I've posted something, and then it would never show up -_-**

 **So, basically, as I waited and waited for the problem to be fixed, I continued typing out the chapters as though they were being published. So, I am going to post them all NOW because I am able to post chapters right now, so I want to get them all up and get this story OVER WITH!**

 **Thank you all for sticking with me and I'm so sorry it has been so long, but hey! Now you get a completed story in one day!**

 **Enjoy!**


	22. A Soul in Tension

**Stephenie Meyer owns all rights to the Twilight Saga and its respective characters.**

 _Bella POV_

We lay silently wrapped in each other for what seemed like hours, our fingers stroking and teasing the other's skin until Edward pressed his lips to the top of my head, shifting me to sit beside him. He leaned into me, capturing my mouth with his gently.

"Isabella," he murmured, a small, sad smile on his face, "I love you. You are my life."

I grinned back, the side of my head resting on the back of the couch. "I love you, too, Edward. More than anything."

"Perhaps we should dress," he suggested, glancing down at my body. My shirt was still on, but the panties had been ripped beneath his desperate fingers. "We should be ready in case something…happens." I knew what he meant without him needing to elaborate.

"So, what do we do, now that we don't know where they've gone? Where do we go?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed in the smaller bedroom as I watched Edward dress. We were in opposite colors, I realized. I was dressed in light, white colors, he was dressed in dark blacks.

"For now, we stay," he said, buttoning his jeans. He was working at a human pace and then moved to sit beside me. He took the comb from my hands that I had planned to brush out the snarls with, but had quickly gotten too distracted by Edward. He turned me and began pulling the comb through my long, not completely dry hair.

"What if they show up on the island?" I asked, my eyes slipping closed as he gently brushed through my hair. It felt heavenly; intimate.

"With all hope, that will not happen," he said, and his voice was dark.

"Will Alice keep looking?" He pulled the comb through the last bit of hair and then ran his fingers back through. I sighed, letting my head fall back to his miracle fingers.

"Yes." His voice was hard, but he continued in a softer voice before I could question him. "You have beautiful hair, Bella."

"Thank you," I replied quietly and then turned to face him. His golden eyes were careful as though he was uncertain of what I would say next. I didn't want to rile him up again with my questions so I let my eyes wander to his messy bronze locks. I lifted my hand, weaving my fingers through his hair and his eyes fell closed. When they opened, they were burning with another bout of anguish.

I leaned forward, wanting to kiss it away. He was my very, _very_ pessimistic vampire. I wanted to distract him from whatever had upset him, so I stood, pulling him with me and leading him back to the living room, but the silver phone caught my eye as we left.

"Where did the phone come from?"

"Hmm?" His eyes roamed from my face to where I was looking. "Oh. Alice had the housekeepers leave one."

"But you said you couldn't find one before," I said, glancing up at him. His brow creased slightly before he smiled softly.

"I hadn't looked hard enough."

I bit my lip, not sure whether this was something else he was hiding from me so as not to upset me. Perhaps they had lost track of the Volturi for a lot longer than he led on. Had he known since we arrived on the island? I didn't like the idea that he was keeping these things from me so as not to worry me.

"Will you tell me next time?" I asked, looking back up at him. He tilted his head.

"Tell you what?"

"What Alice says. I don't want to be left in the dark."

I watched as something flickered quickly across his eyes before they melted to their seemingly normal-for-now torment. "Yes," he agreed softly. "I'll tell you what Alice says the next time she calls."

"Thank you," I smiled and lifted onto my tiptoes to press my lips to his but he caught my face quickly between his hands, deepening the kiss in the desperate way he had been doing lately. This kiss scared me just as much… It was as though he was preparing himself to say goodbye.

"I love you," he sighed against my mouth.

"I love you, too," I answered and then forced him to sit beside me on the couch once again. I bit my lip, glancing at the end of the couch that we had just left an hour ago. He saw my embarrassment and pulled me to his chest with a soft chuckle, "Don't worry, love. We are not the first to christen the furniture within the house. It gets replaced fairly regularly." If I could blush, I'd be the color of a tomato.

"I feel bad, is all," I mumbled into his shoulder, "It's your parents house."

"It's Esme's island. It's the family's house," he reassured me.

I sighed, curling into him and he wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"Tell me more about your time as a vampire," he said after a while and his tone was rough. I knew he was only searching for a distraction.

"What do you want to know?" I asked softly.

"Anything." He paused, and then amended softly, "Where did you go during the day? Who did you meet?"

"Well…" I thought back to the sprawling woods of Northern Canada. It had always been breathtaking, the sights. "I tended to stay in the woods until I had a good enough grasp on my control."

"How long did it take you?" He asked.

I shrugged, "Maybe a month?"

He exhaled, astonished, and buried his face into my shoulder. "Amazing," he whispered. "Then what?"

"If it was cloudy out, I'd walk amongst the humans. For a little while, I tried to find my mom until I realized I would never be able to stay with her again. It would be a bit hard to explain what had happened and what I was… Then I mostly stayed to the woods again because I figured there would be search parties for me; lost signs, maybe. I didn't want to risk anyone recognizing me."

"Did you look the same as a human?"

"Besides the red eyes?" He laughed softly, lifting his head, "Besides the red eyes."

"I don't really remember how I looked… I assume it was just about the same – brown hair, small, short… I know my eyes were brown and I remember I was very uncoordinated." He laughed again, pressing his lips to my nose.

"Well, you are very graceful, now, if it makes you feel any better."

I smiled, "I remember I was fairly surprised when I didn't trip over any sticks or leaves while running."

"Leaves?!" He was humorously shocked and I laughed, resting my head against his chest once more.

" _Leaves_ ," I repeated. "And that was about all I did… Travel along the mountainside, bathe in ponds, stay away from the humans as much as possible. I only met one other vampire – Jane, and, well, you know how that turned out." I made a face, remembering her hideously childlike voice, telling me that I must follow her to Italy.

"I thought she would kill me," I said quietly and Edward's arms tightened around me.

"It won't happen," he assured me sternly. No, it wouldn't happen because Aro wouldn't have me killed; he only wanted me for the Guard – something worse than death, in my eyes.

"But that's it," I finished. I was still very young…

"What did you do before…you know…. You said you move around a lot?"

Edward delved into his history from his time waking as a vampire, to the extension of his family, to his stints in education.

" _High_ school?!" I gasped, "Out of all the things to do, you choose to repeat _high_ _school_?" I couldn't remember my time in high school, but I was sure it was rough as it was for almost every teenager. Edward only shrugged, "It's tedious, yes, but it allows Carlisle to continue working as a doctor. And, really, it's not so bad when you have a photographic memory." He tapped the side of his head.

"It must get annoying – the mind reading?" I could only imagine the thoughts of the hormonal teenagers. Especially when throwing Edward into the mix.

"It's just barely manageable," he groaned and I smiled.

We continued, questioning each other of our past lives. Obviously, I had a thousand more questions because Edward was a thousand times more interesting than I was. He didn't see it that way, though, and he kept with a steady stream of very detailed wonderings as to my nomadic life.

"I don't like it," he said after a while, his brow creasing.

"Like what?" I asked, pausing my explanation of the small cave I had confined myself to during a week of all sun.

"The thought of you out in the elements. I don't like it."

"You said most vampires are nomadic," I pointed out and he tilted his head. "Yes, but you aren't most vampires. You deserve to be in a house; to have access to a shower," he smiled when my eyes lit up. Yes, cleanliness was easily taken for granted when living in a house. "And you deserve to be…," he trailed off, his eyes flickering to the clock sitting by the mantle as he had often during the day. It was, again, as though he were counting down the hours. He glanced back at me, his eyes sad once more. "Protected," he finished quietly.

I opened my mouth to retort; to say that I _was_ protected at the moment, but his mouth was quickly covering mine earnestly, grimly. It was hardly the evening and the sun was only just beginning to set, but he made it seem as though the night spelled the end for us. But we didn't need to sleep and we had perfect night vision – anything that happened at night, we could be ready for.

"Bella," he breathed against my mouth and then crushed me to his chest, holding me there for what felt like hours. He was taking in my scent, running his lips over my hair before pulling back, his expression bleak.

"I need to bury the deer from yesterday," he whispered and my eyebrows knit together. "They could lead them right to this house if they venture to the island," he added.

"Okay," I said, "I'll go with you." He was shaking his head as I spoke.

"You stay, I'll only be a moment."

"But they were my deer, too," I retorted, standing as he did, "And, besides, we shouldn't separate."

"No," he said quietly, almost to himself. "We shouldn't."

I took that as confirmation that I would help and began walking to the front door but he caught me around the waist, pulling me back to him.

"I love you," he said calmly. "Just do this one thing for me. I'll only be a mile out. Besides," he smiled softly, though it didn't reach his eyes, "I am very fast." It was the same thing I had said to him after we had outrun Jane.

He hugged me tightly and then tilted my chin up to press his lips to mine. "I love you, Bella," he reminded me for the hundredth time today and then, with a lasting glance over my face, he was out the door. I stood, frozen to the spot, a sinking feeling soaring through my stomach.

Why would he want me to stay here? Surely, I was no safer without him than he was without me. We needed to protect each other. I was in motion, pacing the floor quickly. I was keenly aware that my speed could damage the wood but I suddenly did not care. What if Jane was lurking somewhere in the woods?

I was at the door before I even realized what I was doing but froze, taking a step back. If I went I search of Edward and he returned before I did, he would be worried senseless. Which, coincidentally, was exactly how I felt at the moment. Separating was such a horrible, stupid idea.

"Screw this," I muttered, pulling open the glass door a bit too violently and taking off in the direction of the dead deer. I could still smell their decaying carcasses, the scent leading me towards the direction Edward had gone but there was something disturbing about the scent…something off. They were untouched, as was the soil around them. I couldn't smell any of the freshly turned dirt.

I jolted through the small clearing by the side of the beach, staring vividly down at the three dead bodies. The other two were strewn a few yards away, but nevertheless, none had been touched and Edward was nowhere to be found. In a panic, I whirled around, my chest heaving with unnecessary breaths. I dropped my shield quickly, wanting to call out to him, but not wanting to give away our location in case others were nearby.

 _Edward?_

I waited, but there was no response. No hint as to where he was.

The vision of the dead deer blurred before me and I stared up to the sky, my frazzled nerves jumping at the sight of the tall tree. I scaled it quickly, leaning against the tallest branch. I scanned the surroundings, but there was absolutely nothing. No sight of a fast blur moving through the woods towards me.

 _Edward!_ I called again, but still to no avail.

I jumped carelessly, feeling the panic rush through me as I landed silently on the ground. The movement startled some of the nocturnal animals, but I hardly cared about their existence as I ran quickly through the woods. Perhaps he had gone down to the beach…? Or back to the house?

No. I would have seen him coming back as I ran, or he would have come to me if he was out here. The panic turned into an outright terror as I knew this could only mean one thing.

" _No!_ " I gasped loudly, my knees beginning to buckle, but I held myself up. I needed to _focus_ ; I needed to not _lose myself_ under the horror if I was going to find Edward – if I was going to save him.

 _The phone_.

I knew the number Alice had been calling from – I had seen Edward dial it once from a pay phone. I turned quickly, racing back to the house, the dread and anxiety blossoming with determination as I pushed my feet as fast as they could go.

I was halfway to the house, my mind straying to all the horribly disturbing outcomes of where Edward could be, and then straying away from the other, even more disturbing and horrifying possibilities, not letting myself believe for a second that they had…that he was not… But my fears were quickly met as three figures flashed from the trees a few yards away, menacing and slower in their movements as soon as they spotted me. I could hardly see their faces through my panicked, red-hazed vision.

I crouched, baring my teeth and the blonde looked to the brunette beside her. The other man stepped forward, his hand outstretched.

" _Don't_ ," I hissed, taking a step back. They only followed suit, moving towards me, closing the space. My shield was tight to me, knowing the blonde would not be able to harm me and remembering what Edward had said about her ability – she relied too heavily on it. I could take her, but not all three of them. I would lose. Badly.

"Bella," the brown-haired man spoke and the panic reared; the desperation for Edward to be safe halted my defensive stance as I stood straight. The panic turned from offensive, to defensive as I gasped, my breathing nearly hyperventilation at this point.

"Please," I begged, "Only take me…" I trailed off, not wanting to give them more information. Did they have him? Had he run? He would have been able to hear their thoughts, perhaps he had run…

"That's the plan," the brown-haired man said in a stunned voice.

"Do you have him?" I continued, unable to hold the sob back, "Have you hurt him? Please, he hasn't done anything…. It was me – it was all my fault. I'm the one you want, not him…" I trailed off as the other man, the one in front, put his hand up slowly.

"We're not here to harm you," he said slowly and all my muscles froze at his voice. I knew that voice…the one from the phone…

"Carlisle?"

He nodded once and my head cleared of the panic, my muscles melting and I felt as though I would collapse. His _eyes_ ; their _eyes_. My vision had been too hazed to realize the golden hue – dark, but gold nonetheless.

The Cullens.

There was the sound of fast footsteps over the terrain just to the left of us and suddenly three more broke through the shaded forest, all moving to stand beside the original three. There were six, now, standing before me, watching me intently, carefully.

One stepped forward, a small girl with black spiky hair. There was a careful smile on her face.

"Bella, it's me." _Alice_. "You're all right. We're going to protect you."

"Alice," I breathed, staring at her as though she were a long-lost friend. And in a way, we were friends already. She had pulled us out of so many horrible circumstances. But this one was _good_ ; we were _safe_. Edward may not like it, but his family was _here_. We were no longer out numbered.

My shoulders drooped with the realization, the stress swarming out of me like waves and Alice moved forward slowly, her eyes on me cautiously until she reached me. A blonde boy was standing close behind her, watching her. Jasper, I figured.

She placed her hand carefully on my arm, "Come with us, Bella. You'll be okay."

I nodded hesitantly. "Where is Edward?" I asked, glancing around, "Has he gone to the house? I went looking for him. He was only supposed to bury the deer…" I trailed off as Alice's hand loosened just slightly.

"Come back to the house, and we can explain," she said softly. I stared at her and then her mate behind her. He was watching me cautiously and I remembered he could feel emotions. I was surprised he hadn't attacked me on the spot – my hatred for the first three had been almost tangible. Of course, it had quickly vanished as soon as I realized who they were.

I followed them to the house, running numbly through the woods. As soon as we reached the glass door, I gasped, seeing the large crack down the center. I whirled around fast, my eyes falling to Carlisle and then the brown-haired lady beside him. They were holding hands. This was Esme.

"Esme, I'm so sorry," I cried. "I was scared…I didn't even realize…"

"Hush, dear," she said with a soft, motherly smile. She stepped towards me quickly, releasing Carlisle's hand. "It's but a door. It can easily be replaced." She rested her hand on my cheek softly and I saw the building sadness in her eyes. "Come inside," she instructed softly, taking my hand.

I nodded, stepping back into the living room that I had just, moments before, paced around.

"Bella," Carlisle spoke, moving to stand beside me as well, "This is my wife Esme, Alice and Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie." He pointed to each one and they all gave me small greeting smiles and nods. The blonde from the first group of three was Edward's sister, Rosalie, not Jane as I had first thought.

"I'm sorry for how I acted," I said quickly, looking back and forth between Carlisle, Emmett, and Rosalie. "I thought you were…"

"We know," Carlisle interrupted smoothly, "And don't worry about apologies. It is a very difficult time."

"How did you get here?" I asked, my eyes wide. I turned to Alice. "Destination B…you knew it was this island?"

"Yes," she smiled, "I'm sorry it was so cryptic, but I knew Edward would know where it was. Jasper said to denote them as destinations so that whatever happened before wouldn't happen again."

"I told Alice not to ask for any information on your whereabouts. Clearly that was the only thing the Volturi would want," Jasper said in a smooth, Southern accent, "It was what that other girl had asked, I'm assuming."

"Mirella," I answered with a nod.

"We aren't quite sure how she managed to trick the two of you," Carlisle said, tilting his head.

"Edward told me about her. He said that she can change her voice however she chooses. She works for the Volturi." I said quickly, glancing around the room for no reason. Clearly Edward was not here.

"Where is Edward?" I asked, repeating my question from earlier. They all seemed to hesitate, glancing at each other inconspicuously. Finally, the blonde, Rosalie, spoke. "Edward got in touch with us as soon as you arrived on the island."

I froze, "How? He couldn't find a phone…"

"He knew where the phone was," she answered quietly and Emmett took her hand tightly in his, warning her, I assumed. I stared at her for a moment and then my eyes roamed to everyone else.

"What did he say?" I asked faintly, "What did Edward tell you when he called?" I could barely hear my own voice, my lips barely moving. Esme seemed upset, her brow creasing slightly as she stepped towards me again, "Bella, he only wanted you safe…"

 _Safe._ That single word that held so much meaning.

"He asked you to come here? To protect me?" She nodded softly, her caramel colored hair dancing around her shoulders. Carlisle put his arm around her waist, "Bella, Edward cares for you very much. He only wanted you to be safe and he knew that we, as a family, could protect you."

Carlisle's words barely registered within me as I stared at nothing in particular. He had asked his family to come here, to protect us. Why hadn't he told me? Why wasn't he _here_ …?

"Where is he?" I asked weakly.

"Don't worry, Bella, he is okay. We promised him –"

"That you would keep me safe, yes, I'm aware," I snapped, interrupting Alice. I regretted the way I was speaking, but I couldn't help it as a horrifying idea of where he had gone popped into my head.

"We tried to talk him out of it," Emmett said, "We can keep both of you safe…" My eyes snapped to Emmett. Talk him out of it…

" _Where is Edward?_ " I hissed, moving quickly away from Esme and Alice as they reached out to comfort me.

"Bella…" Alice's eyes dropped from mine and I could feel a wash of calm flow through me. I glared at Jasper and he narrowed his eyes. I would _not_ be soothed right now.

"Edward has flown back to Italy. Or, at least, he's catching a flight as we speak," Alice said quietly. I stared, unseeing into her wide, golden orbs.

"Actually," I heard Rosalie comment from somewhere in the room, "He should be boarding now."

All the sounds and sights surrounding me blurred as I took in their words. Edward had run, not to bury the carcasses, but to make it to the mainland in time for a flight. These last few days…all his anguish, his torment, his heartbreaking words…he had planned this. He had planned this all along. The hundreds of times he had said "I love you," the past two days had sounded, to me, like "goodbye," and that was because he _was_ saying goodbye.

All this talk of wanting me to be safe…not wanting to give me false hope…not being able to release me for hours…he was preparing himself for this moment. He was preparing to leave me behind, protected by his family as he flew to Italy. He was protecting me. He was protecting me by getting himself _killed_.

His black clothing made sense now. He had been preparing himself for his very own funeral, and they didn't even know. I stared at each of their lovely, tired, sad faces. They only thought their brother and son was running off to join the Guard again. They thought he would retake his vows and place himself back on the Guard in place of me. They didn't know…they still didn't know the reason he had been with the Guard in the first place.

I jumped up, not even realizing I had fallen back onto the white couch, and all six pairs of eyes watched me carefully.

"When is he landing in Italy?" I asked hurriedly, rushing back to the vampires.

"Around this time tomorrow," Alice replied, shaking her head quickly. "But he's asked us… He's _demanded_ that we not let you follow him."

"He's going to convince Aro to let you stay with us. He'll resume his place on the Guard as he had before," Esme said to me quietly.

" _No_ ," I cried, moving quickly for the door. Emmett and Carlisle were quickly in front of me, not letting me pass. I crouched instinctively. I would fight whomever I had to in order to protect Edward.

"I'm not _there_ ," I growled, "I need to _shield him_!"

"Bella, Edward knows what he is doing –"

"They'll kill him!" I snarled, making a move to run the other way. There was another door, but I was apprehended quickly by Jasper. "They'll _kill him_!" I screeched. "He'll be beheaded as soon as he lands! We have to stop him, we have to –"

"Bella, calm down, he won't be killed," Carlisle said softly, moving before me. The panic rising in me was too much for Jasper's ability and he slowly released me, fisting his hands together. I dashed quickly, making it halfway to the trees lining the woods but was quickly stopped by Emmett. Tearless sobs were running from my body.

"She truly believes he will be killed," I heard Jasper saying.

"Well of _course_ she fears that," Rosalie hissed back. "She is his mate."

They didn't understand. I needed to make them understand. I hoped Edward would not be angry at me for telling them this, but if it saved his life…if it kept Aro from beheading him, he could be angry with me for the rest of eternity if he so chose.

"He's told me they'll kill him," I rasped, struggling in Emmett's tight hold, "He's run from them – death is the punishment!"

"Aro would not see death as fit for Edward," Carlisle was explaining carefully but I shook my head, managing to rip free from Emmett's grasp. Rosalie and Alice were there to hold me back once more and I snarled loudly, the panic building. Every second here was a second wasted.

"Haven't you seen what they will do, Alice?! Haven't you seen the decision?!"

"Bella, I…"

"You can't, can you! They're still making too many decisions – you can't make sense of anything!"

I saw her look to Jasper and felt another wave of calm rush over me. It had nothing on my tormenting terror.

"He lied to you!" I cried, staring now at Carlisle. He was the leader of the coven. If I got through to him, I would get through to the rest. "When he left two years ago, it wasn't because he wanted to join the Volturi!" Carlisle tilted his head to the side and Esme stepped forward, her eyes widening.

"Aro threatened your coven! He didn't like how large you had grown – he was going to destroy all of you and Edward traded his life for yours!" There was an audible gasp amongst them all and Alice's grip slipped on my arm. Rosalie held tight, though.

"He didn't…I would have seen…"

"He did, Alice, he told me himself!" I could barely get the words out through my sobs now. "In your visions…when you would see the Volturi coming…Edward could hear Aro's thoughts through them. He heard his plan to destroy your coven and struck up a deal with him!" I gasped, staring wildly at Carlisle once again.

"His life for yours!" I repeated loudly.

There was a sudden commotion as Alice's eyes glazed over and Jasper darted to her side. Rosalie's hands fell from my arms as Emmett appeared beside us, everyone watching Alice and Carlisle. Carlisle's face hadn't slipped from horrified astonishment.

"They're here…," Alice muttered, her eyes closing and then widening as she stared at me, "Jane, Alec, Felix…"

"When?" Jasper demanded and everyone started glancing around, horrified.

"Ten seconds," she whispered, her eyes moving towards the trees beside the beach.

There was no time. Jane would unleash her power in absolutely no time.

I gasped, "I will shield you all. They won't hurt you; you need to kill them." Six heads swiveled to me quickly. "It's the only way!" I hissed. Emmett pounded his fist against his hand a few times, staring at Jasper.

"Fancy a kill, brother?" he grinned. Jasper stared at me, clearly feeling the uncertainty running through me.

"You can shield six at once?" He asked quickly, obviously uncertain in my uncertainty.

"I'll try my best," I answered and quickly closed my eyes, trying to focus myself. The shield stretched effortlessly over the closest to me – Rosalie and I heard Jasper gasp, "Rose, you're covered."

"Five seconds," Alice whispered, and I focused on her next. She had protected Edward and I – it was time to repay the favor.

"Keep them off me, and I'll be able to handle it," I mumbled. It was nearly effortless, now. Edward and I hadn't practiced more since running from Jane, but I had found my sense of focus – Edward. Saving Edward's life was my only focus and to do that, I needed to shield the six Cullens so that they would not get hurt.

My shield was just folding over the shape of Esme, the furthest Cullen from me, when the sound of six feet racing across the ground nearly interrupted that focus. It would have been all over so quickly if I had lost it, but I held tightly.

 _Edward, Edward, Edward._ The mantra coursed through my mind like a salve as the sounds of fighting continued around me. I opened my eyes slowly, the scene before me more dismal than it had seemed. There had been barely any sound beside the occasional snarl from the Cullens and Volturi alike, but the ensuing fight was in full force.

There were two Cullens for every member and I saw that Alec had been quickly and easily dismembered by Rosalie and Emmett. Jane's startling red eyes were on me, a snarl ripping through her teeth as she lunged. She needed to take me down first; I was the one making her ability useless. Jasper and Esme were on her before she could reach any closer than five feet, her arms torn apart before her head was removed from her small body. Edward had been right – the twins did not know how to fight.

Felix was the only one left and he was well under control beneath Carlisle's tight hold and Alice's blindingly fast movements. I heard, rather than saw, his head torn from his body and with a loud resounding sigh, the fight was over. I let the shield snap back in place, my body crumpling to the ground out of the shear force and energy with which I had needed to keep it around all six at once.

"Bella!" Alice called, and Rosalie was quickly helping me to my feet. I glanced up, my eyes scanning each of the Cullens quickly and sharply.

"Is everyone okay?! Did anyone get hurt?!" My voice was frantic.

"Bella, we're all fine thanks to you," Esme smiled, wiping off her hands on her pants. Jasper and Emmett were moving quickly, assembling the pieces of limbs into a pile.

"Matches," Jasper stated and Emmett nodded quickly before taking off for the house. Everything hit me at once and I sobbed, leaning against Rosalie. The three Volturi had been so close by… Edward calling for his family and leaving had inadvertently saved our lives. Rosalie patted my arm soothingly, knowing what I had just realized.

"Did you know, Alice? Did Edward know?"

Alice's eyes widened at my question and she shook her head quickly. Jasper flitted to her side, staring down at her intently. "I had no idea until just now," she said in awe, "I'm not sure if Edward knew. He never mentioned them, but I'm guessing he didn't. He never would have left you alone in the house if he had known they were so close to the island."

"Edward severely underestimated you," Emmett said as he ran back, a box of matches in hand. He tossed them to Jasper and Carlisle moved to help him burn the pieces as I watched, horrified. The scent from the smoke was atrocious.

"He told us you'd stay in the house as he left," Emmett continued, "That's where we were supposed to find you, but you weren't there when we arrived."

"He thought you'd abide by his wishes," Alice said quickly.

"Clearly it is very good that you didn't," Esme added, her eyebrows raised in appreciation. I bit my lip and glanced away quickly, a hidden blush trying to appear on my face.

"Please," I said quietly, glancing back towards the rising flames, "Can we go to Italy? We need to save him – I'll be going, regardless," I added, shooting Alice a warning glance.

"Yes, it seems Aro has given us no choice," Carlisle stated with a deathly quiet voice. "We'll need to make it known that we are no threat to his family."

Emmett glanced pointedly at the burning pile. "He may not see it that way," he said.

I gasped. Edward had destroyed Demetri for the Volturi for numerous years… We had taken down Jane and Alec, two of Aro's most allied members, along with Felix. Most of the Guard – the Guard that mattered – had been taken down. Perhaps we would have some room to negotiate. I glanced up at Carlisle.

"I have an idea."


	23. Empty

**I do not own the Twilight Saga or any of its characters.**

 _Edward POV_

Bella.

My beautiful, precious, talented Bella.

She was going to hate me. She was going to absolutely despise me for what I was doing to her – if I wasn't torn to pieces before she had a chance to realize what had happened, that it is.

I wish I had told her once more how beautiful she was…how I loved her…how I _needed_ to protect her. I wish I could hold her once more, kiss her once more, make love to her once more…

But time was up and, as I boarded the flight to Italy, I knew that I would likely never see her again – and that was _good_. If my family kept to their word, if they kept her from following me to Italy despite her grievances, she would stay _safe_ and _protected_ with the family. She would never step foot in Italy, never step foot in Volterra, never stand before Aro and his brothers. I, on the other hand, was uncertain what I was walking into. Jane had told me of Aro's wishes for me to rejoin the Volturi, but it was unlikely this was still the case, having run from them once more.

No, I would never see her again, but the reason behind never seeing her again made this all okay.

She would remain free.

 _Isle Esme, Day One_

The entire plane ride over I had been trying to come up with some sort of plan. Something to keep Bella safe. I had dragged her into this, and I would be _damned_ if I didn't get her out.

" _And we_ will _stay together,"_ she had said to me as the plane flew us towards Brazil, _"We protect each other, remember?"_

I had stroked her soft cheek, staring into her endless dark eyes. Yes, we protect each other, but perhaps by not allowing her to protect _me_ , I would be protecting _her_. I had pulled her to me, making a promise I knew I could not keep.

" _Forever,"_ I had said. I had kissed her then, telling her exactly how much I loved her…how much I needed her. Even more I was telling her how much I needed her to be _safe_ ; how much I needed to protect _her_.

Another lie. It had been just after giving her a tour of the house on the island. I left her to search for a phone – search being the operative word. I knew there was a phone and I knew where it was. I also knew of the plan I had closed on as we raced to the island via boat. It was foolproof. It would keep Bella safe. The family would despise half of the plan, but I knew it was the only way.

I had made my way into the small office that Carlisle had set up. Among the bookshelf, beside the painting of the dainty flowers was a silver phone, nearly identical to the others. I turned it on quickly. Full charge, but that hardly mattered. The phone could be left plugged in if need be. It buzzed almost immediately, Alice's shrill voice coming through.

" _Edward… They still aren't giving me much to go on. They've been changing and altering their decisions constantly. It's extremely upsetting."_

"It's all right, Alice." It hardly mattered at this point, anyways. "I need a favor."

" _Anything,"_ I could almost picture her pixie eyes wide as saucers, her hand waving Jasper to her.

"You know where we are, correct?"

" _Yes, destination B,"_ she answered quickly.

"Tell me exactly where without giving away location," I insisted. This would only work if we were on the same exact page.

I heard her inhale, _"Anniversary gift from Carlisle."_

 _Good_. She knew exactly.

"Alice… I need Bella safe. She is to me what Jasper is to you…what Esme is to Carlisle…what Rosalie is to Emmett."

She gasped at my words, _"She is your mate? I did not see this coming, Edward."_ I smiled slightly at her excited tone, but the smile fell quickly.

"Yes. I need – I need her safe, do you understand?"

" _Yes."_

"I need you and the family to leave tonight – this second. I need you here to protect her."

" _Where are you going to go?"_ She asked, but I knew she knew the answer. _"You can't go back, Edward… They'll be so angry… Bella will need you… We need you."_ Her words meant hardly anything.

"Alice, please. Trust me. I am returning to Italy. Will you do as I have asked?"

After a moment, she sighed, _"Yes, we will fly out late tonight. It's the next available flight just outside of…the country."_

I sighed, relieved, "Thank you, Alice and the rest of the family. Land just outside of the country and then run the rest of the way. It'll be harder to trace you."

" _Okay,"_ she whispered. She didn't like the plan, I knew, but they had no choice. I had no choice.

" _I will call when we land to let you know the time we will arrive. Keep the phone on you."_

She had hung up swiftly and I had returned to Bella, feeding her a simple lie that my search for a phone had come up empty. The guilt ate at me – lying to her, but something worse was eating at me as I gazed down at my love.

We would only have twenty-four hours left together.

As we ran through the woods to find a hunt, I had relented to her the dimensions with which we chose to hunt within. I could see confusion lacing her beautiful eyes as I told her to stay north.

"There are small communities that live in the south," I had told her.

"Will you tell me about the times you drank from humans?" she had asked a while later, her gaze wide and awed as she looked up at me. I was going to miss those inquisitive eyes. I had tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace as I thought again about having to leave her. I wasn't sure I would be able to do it when the time came about.

"I suppose," I had answered, "Not now, though. Some other time, all right?" I didn't want to fill up our remaining time with gruesome stories of the past that I desperately tried to forget. I wanted to _be_ with her…to love her for the remaining hours; not spin tales of my horrific few years away from the family.

It wasn't until after we had made love for the first time that the realization sunk in that I would be without her. She was the upmost distraction and the shower…the night in bed we had just shared had been the best moments of my existence. But as I laid over her, our bodies resting after the passionate love making, still sheathed deeply within her, the wanton sadness began creeping back into my body.

"I don't want to leave," I had whispered to her, knowing she would take it to mean that physically I didn't want to remove myself from deep within her. But I meant it in so many other ways as well. I didn't want to move from within her, but I also didn't want to leave her here, in Brazil, while I traveled to Italy. I didn't want to leave her, period.

She had run her fingers through my hair with a smile.

"Then don't," she had stated as though it were the simplest thing in the world. And to her, it was. She would have me stay with her no matter how endangered her life became. I needed to leave because she was willing to protect me over herself. I couldn't have that. I had kissed her deeply, and then made love to her again.

 _Isle Esme, Day Two_

"You play piano?" She had asked as my mouth moved over her elegant, creamy throat.

"Yes. I'll play for you sometime," had been my quick response and the pain immediately soared through me at my words. It would not be possible; I would never be able to play for her. I quickly moved on, not wanting her to see the change in me.

"I'd rather this," she had whispered against my lips, kissing me deeply after I had told her of the different options we would have in our shared room. Yes, Bella, I had thought as my mouth moved over hers, I would also rather this. I'd rather this over anything else in the world. I'd rather this for our last hours.

It wasn't until I had pulled away and glanced out towards the large window, watching the sun creep over the horizon, did I realize that it was day two. The family would be landing soon, within a couple of hours, likely, and this would be over. Bella would always be my mate, I would always be desperately, passionately in love with her, but I would not get to hold her…to touch her…to kiss her like this any longer.

"What's wrong?" she had gasped as I gazed down at her. I needed to get better at hiding my true emotions from her. She couldn't know of the plan – she couldn't know, because she would be able to talk me out of it.

"I don't want to give you false hope, Bella," I had answered, staring down at her. She was beautiful…breathtaking.

"I know that," she whispered, "I know it'll never happen."

Quickly, before she could see the mask slip and crumble at her words, I hid my face. My Bella, always so positive, so optimistic, was beginning to see the truth to our circumstances. It was heartbreaking and I knew even more now, as I whispered my sorrow for her coming to see the light, that I was making the right decision. This would, if it worked correctly, give her the freedom to hope and dream. Without me, but she could still make a life with my family.

"What say you to a bath?" I had asked, forcing a smile on my face as I gazed down at her sad eyes. I didn't want her to despair – that was my job.

The water in the bath was warm, but she made me warmer as I rested my chin against her shoulder, holding her tightly to my chest. I didn't want to let her go once during these remaining hours.

"Edward?" she had asked quietly. I opened my eyes, staring just past her beautiful, wet hair to the door of the bathroom. I had left the phone inside the joining bedroom, knowing full well that there was a chance she'd find it. But I needed her with me and so wherever she was, the phone and I would also be.

"What's wrong?" she asked, but her tone was harder. She knew something was happening – she was not stupid.

"Nothing, Bella," I had lied, trying to quell her stress, "I only want you safe, is all."

She answered with the last thing I had wanted to hear at the moment, "I want you safe, too." I dropped my head to her. It wasn't my safety I wanted her worried about. I wanted her to protect _herself_. She was never going to forgive me for taking away her ability to protect me. "If you have a chance to escape, please take it," I had pleaded after a while, "Don't wait for me, do you understand?" Don't come after me, was what I wanted to say.

Yes, she understood, but she wouldn't listen.

"Will you save yourself, if you get the chance?" I pressed on, silently urging her to say yes. That she would save herself above all else. Saving herself would save me. She tensed beneath me.

"If I said yes, would it make you happy?"

I sighed. That was a definitive no, but at least she was trying. She turned around in the water, her legs slipping over mine and I could feel the heat coming from her glorious center – the only real heat vampires gave off, and only female vampires, at that.

"I'm staying with you." The four words held so much meaning to her, and so little to me. She couldn't stay with me, because I wasn't going to let that happen. I kissed her, thanking her for _wanting_ to be with me…for _wanting_ to stay with me, and she held my face between her small hands, lifting herself above me just enough to control the kiss.

Her mouth, as always, was delicious and I kissed her back fervently, pushing myself harder to her. I wanted her desperately and I knew, without a doubt, this would be one of the last times, if not the last time, I could have her. The thought floating in my suddenly despairing mind, I grasped her delicate hips between my hands and pulled her out of the water just enough for her to sink back down on top of me. I kissed her everywhere – her chest, her breasts, the small, pink peaks of each beautiful breast. She was perfect and she was _mine_.

She came hard around me, crying out as she did and I moved my mouth from her delicious chest to her throat, wanting to live inside of her, to never remove myself from this bathtub or her body. But I couldn't and I knew, even as the word _mine_ drifted through my head again and again as I released within her, that it wouldn't be fair. I could be hers, but she couldn't be mine.

I did something I could not recall ever doing in all my vampire years as I dropped my head to the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent and exhaling with the soundless tremors of tearless sobs. I cried for her…for us…for what we could have been, and yet could never be. I cried for her worry and for how she would feel once she found out I had left. I couldn't do this to her. I was wretched and miserable for a vampire, and I couldn't do such a thing to this beautiful, loving girl, but I _had_ to.

I had to make her safe.

I could hear her speaking on the phone with Alice, knowing she would have a thousand questions as to why there _was_ a phone and why Alice kept requesting to speak with me. I dressed hurriedly – all black. Fitting, I had sneered. I left out all light clothing for Bella. She would get through this; she was an angel, it was what angels were created for – to help the less fortunate through bad times.

I was beside her in an instant, desperate to hear whether they had touched down and desperate to hear that they would not be coming.

" _Can she hear?"_ Alice had whispered.

"No," I breathed, my heart beginning to crack. It was going to shatter into a million tiny pieces the moment I left this island, I knew.

" _We've landed. We're going to make quick work of the country – I can't see any of their decisions any longer, so I have no clue as to where the three of them are."_

"Be careful, Alice," I had commanded. I could practically see her roll her eyes.

" _None of us like this plan, Edward, you jump to conclusions too often. Let us get to you and then we can all figure this out –"_

"No," I had growled, "Stop just when you have reached where we are. Don't come any closer than the shore and I will meet you. I'll leave quickly to the airport. Have you booked me a flight?"

" _Yes, but –"_

"Then the plan is settled. Bella will stay in the house - I'll make sure of it. After I've met with you all, you are to meet her in the house."

" _Fine,"_ Alice had sighed.

" _She is going to be angry, you know. You've been through a lot together, Edward – do you honestly think you can leave her? Do you honestly think the two of you will be okay?"_

"I have to, Alice, I have no _choice_ ," I hissed down the line. I knew I wasn't going to be okay; that was the least of my concerns. My shattering heart would remain somewhat intact as long as Bella was safe.

"What time will you be here?" I could hear Bella rummaging through the kitchen and I was desperate to be with her again.

She took a second to answer, searching her visions, _"Just before sunset."_

"I'll hear you when you arrive." I hung up quickly before she could say another word to dissuade me from the plan and took off to find Bella. I talked her into sitting with me only so that I could hold her. It was the late morning – we only had mere hours before I had to say a silent goodbye.

She was glaring at me, sitting in my lap and I was confused as to why. I had told her she was my priority and she had said I was hers, but I hadn't even refuted her statement.

"Why did Alice say she would keep me safe as well?" she had asked slowly, something brewing in her eyes.

"Because they want us safe," I had replied. My fingers made another stroke through her soft tendrils. She pulled my hands away, "No… She said that they will keep _me_ safe. Not _us_ , _me_. Edward… What did you do, Edward?"

She knew. Not the logistics of the plan, but she knew something was happening and she knew she would not like it. I couldn't tell her. Not when the timing was so delicate at the moment. I brushed my lips to hers, wanting to kiss her into oblivion…wanting to kiss away her suspicions but she pulled away, her face etched with anger.

"Don't," I had begged. I didn't want to spend our last few hours arguing. I didn't want to her to pull from me now when I needed her more than anything.

"What did you do?" she had repeated, a line forming between her dark eyebrows.

"I've only asked them to protect you above all else." It was the truth, but still a lie by omission.

"I won't lose you, Bella," I stated after I had countered her argument that they wouldn't do such a thing. Of course, I would lose her in one sense, but not in the other, harrowing senses. "I won't want to deal with _myself_ for the rest of eternity if I lose you," I had continued, breaking off with an unfinished, "Well…." Of course, if I were to lose her in _that_ sense, there would be no _me_ in existence _to_ deal with. Antagonizing the Volturi was not too difficult. If this didn't get me killed, and something happened to Bella, I would ensure I died along with her.

 _Isle Esme: Arrival_

She had asked me, once I finished combing her lovely hair, to tell her next time Alice calls. I had agreed, albeit cryptically. There wouldn't be a next time, because Alice would not be calling again. At least this was one truth I could leave untouched.

She told me about her life in Canada, a distraction technique for myself so I wouldn't be hopeless with each passing hour…each passing _second_. She asked about me…about high school and my degrees. They were pointless, now. I would either be reinvented as a pile of ash in twelve hours, or stuck within the Guard until the end of existence. The questions turned back to her. I wanted to learn as much as I could; I wanted to take these conversations with me. Replay them each day.

I was speaking of her unfortunate life as a nomad, "You deserve to be…," when I could hear it. The faint droning of a mental voice calling out to me. It was Carlisle. I was in tune with his voice the most – I could hear it from the furthest distance. They were by the beach, now, two and a half miles away. My eyes had flickered towards the clock and, just as Alice had predicted, it was nearly six. The anguish flooded through me but I held it back as best as I could as I looked back at Bella, my eyes taking in her beautiful, unforgettable appearance. "Protected," I had finished my sentence.

Yes, and protected she would be.

I kissed her quickly, desperately, knowing this would be the last time to memorize the shape of her mouth – her bottom lip just slightly larger than the top – and her delectable taste. I needed to make this seem as casual as possible while still being able to show her how much I loved her. I needed to say goodbye without her even guessing that I was _saying_ goodbye.

It was nearly impossible. She was too observant.

"I need to bury the deer from yesterday," I whispered. It was supposed to be done, but I would not have time. I needed to flee quickly so that I did not turn right back around. "They could lead them right to this house if they venture to the island," I continued at her confused look.

"Okay. I'll go with you." She believed the lie because it was hardly a lie. The carcasses would lead them to us if they happened upon the island.

"You stay," I insisted, my heart shattering even more with each word, "I'll only be a moment." Another lie. The fissure ripped straight down the middle.

She argued my plea. "We shouldn't separate," she had countered. She was right – we shouldn't, but we had to. She moved for the door but I stopped her, forcing my face and voice into something normal; something that didn't sound as though my body was being ripped limb from limb.

"I love you," I stressed, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. This was a critical moment – she needed to stay in the house, "Just do this one thing for me. I'll only be a mile out. Besides," I smiled, my face feeling as though it were about to crack beneath the pain. It was instantaneous and harrowing and I hadn't even left yet. "I am very fast," I repeated her words from earlier.

I hugged her and kissed her for the last time, etching the feel of her body into the very front of my mind, not that I would forget. Not that I wouldn't be thinking of her every second of every day. "I love you, Bella," I reminded her. And I'm sorry.

With a single last glance, taking in her heart shaped face, her red-tinted waist-length hair, her beautiful mouth, her daunting eyes, I was gone.

Each step away from her tore my heart, my mind, my body to pieces. It was like running through drying cement. Impossible, strenuous, but I _had_ to. _I had to keep her safe_.

I could hear my family clearer as I ran. Their thoughts were a mix of desperation, anger, confusion.

 _Surely there is another way to work this out. We can all protect each other – you don't have to leave._ I merely growled at Carlisle's aimed thoughts. If I didn't turn myself in, there would be no hope for normalcy for my family…for Bella.

They were all waiting, as I had requested, by the furthest shore, three miles from the house. I had run quickly despite the drag, the depression somehow pushing me faster.

Esme was the first to approach me, her thoughts a harrowing take of joy, confusion, and despair. Joy because she had not seen me in so long; confusion because she, as the rest of the family, did not understand why this was the only way; despair because she knew she was about to lose me again.

"Edward," she greeted with a sob, pulling me to her. She held me tightly and I wrapped my arms around her lightly. "You don't have to do this, son," she whispered as she pulled away, placing her hand to my face.

"I do," I replied quickly, emotionlessly.

"She'll come searching for you in four minutes," Alice said softly, glancing back towards the house. I could see in her muddled vision, Bella darting through the trees, her eyes horrified as she landed upon the untouched deer. I would need to move quickly. Just the sight of the vision alone sent a pained burn through my heart.

"Go meet her at the house. She doesn't know…" What I've done to her… What I've done to _us_.

"And you are sure you'd like to join the Guard once more?" Carlisle asked sternly, placing his hand on my shoulder. His eyes were wise, studying me. I nodded once. If I spoke, I was certain the lie would bleed through the air.

"Don't do this," Emmett pleaded, "We can take on these three Volturi. They won't touch you or Bella." He glanced at Jasper who nodded his agreement.

"Rejoining is not necessary," Jasper stated. He was watching me curiously, picking up my emotions, surely. _Very set on this decision…but unbelievably unhappy with it,_ he was thinking. _All I can feel is love and self-abhorrence radiating from you._

I stared directly at Jasper, seeing through his mind his thought of Bella as the instigator for both emotions playing through me.

"Protect her," I ordered, tilting my head.

"Bella?" Esme asked. I nodded. " _Please_ ," I begged, "If you could do this one last thing for me…for her. Keep her safe." My voice broke off; just the thought of Bella standing in the house, needlessly waiting for my return enough to have me curling into the pain.

 _Such a tragedy,_ Esme thought sadly, _He's finally found someone to live for and he has to let her go…_

"Yes, we will keep her safe, of course. She is family, now," Esme replied.

"The flight?" I asked, wanting to move on from the topic. I needed to leave as soon as possible. Rosalie handed me the piece of paper she had been holding. "It leaves from Brazil in an hour. If you run, you'll be able to make it," she said quietly. _You don't have to run, though…_

I did. They didn't know it, but I _did_. I took the ticket with a nod.

"You won't be able to handle it, you know," Alice said quickly, harshly. "The pain of being away from her… You haven't had to deal with it yet, but you won't be able to handle it."

I whipped around to face her, nearly shredding the ticket with my fingers. "I won't be able to handle it if something were to happen to her because of _me_ ," I hissed, "I won't be able to _deal with it_ if she were killed because of me. This is the only way. I can convince Aro to let her go; he'll take me, and it will be fine." My snarled words were practically lifeless in the surrounding air. I didn't know if I'd be able to convince him to keep me as a replacement for her or if he'd have me executed on the spot.

 _You are uncertain,_ Jasper thought with a sigh. _If you'd just wait –_

" _No_ ," I snarled and then heaved a sigh, trying to calm myself. Time was running out quickly. " _Please_. I must go, but do as I ask. Keep watch over her for me and _do not_ , under any circumstances, allow her to _follow_ me." I would never be able to bear the sight of her in Italy beneath the corrupt gaze of Aro and his brothers. "I love you all and I miss you all, but I need to do this for _her_ …" I paused, glancing up at Esme as doubt filled her mind. "I _want_ to go to Italy," I assured her, "and I want Bella safe."

She only nodded and, after another hug, was releasing me. "She'll attempt to talk you out of protecting her. She'll try to convince you to let her go, but please don't," I added quickly, staring down at Esme.

"Of course not," she complied. "She's family now. We will protect her as one of our own."

"She is one of our own," Carlisle added. I nodded, grateful that they would do this for me…for her. I hugged the remainder of the family. She would be in good hands in moments.

"Alice…thank you. And everyone else… I love her and you don't know how grateful I am for all of you to protect her in such a way," I whispered, my heart shattering the rest of the way as I imagined how they would find her. Upset, devastated, deceived by none other than me. With a lasting glance to each of their morose faces, I was gone, running quickly for the boat they had brought. It was fast and I would reach land in no time. Reach Brazil in no time, reach the airport in no time… Take myself from Bella in no time. She would be protected but my heart would be forever decimated.

Death, suddenly, seemed welcome.


	24. Escape

**I do not own the Twilight Saga or its characters.**

 _Bella POV_

The airport was crowded and loud, but I could hardly pay attention to the deafening sounds as I stared at the board before us. Edward's flight had already taken off and ours would be two hours behind. I could hardly stand the wait, knowing how dire each minute…each second was to all of us.

"Bella, you need to fidget a little at least." I glanced up at Emmett who was leaning against the wall from me. "You can't sit so still. Move a foot or a hand once in a while," he added. I stared at his curly black hair and dark eyes. The eyes only reminded me of Edward and I swallowed, glancing away and making a dramatic sweep of my leg as I crossed it quickly.

"The seats will be split into couples and two singles," Carlisle stated as he walked towards us, seven tickets in hand. "We're lucky the seats were open at all," he said as he handed out a ticket to each of us. I tried to smile at him, to show him how grateful I was, but my mouth could hardly move more than a grimace. Esme placed her hand on my shoulder in a move meant to soothe. I didn't think anything would be able to soothe me at the moment.

"How much longer?" I asked quietly, my eyes flickering quickly to Esme.

"Thirty-five minutes," she replied. She watched as Alice and Jasper flitted towards us, Alice moving in more of a dance than anything else.

"The flight should be fine. I see us landing in eleven hours," she said quickly, moving to sit beside me once more.

"And you are certain he didn't run into them on his way to the airport?" I asked Alice for the hundredth time since leaving the island. My biggest fear was that Edward had run into the Jane trio before having a chance to escape – that he had been touched by Jane's ability without my shield.

" _Yes_ , Bella," Alice reiterated, her golden eyes wide and sincere. "I've told you – I've seen him land in Italy. If they had attacked him, his future would have vanished – sorry," she added as my face blanched. Esme shot her a look and tightened her arm around my shoulder.

"So, what's the plan?" Rosalie asked, looking away from Alice to me. I wasn't sure if it was a distraction technique or she was just tired of me asking the same question repeatedly, but it worked nonetheless to quell the growing panic. "Are we just going to stalk in there and demand they release Edward? Will that work, Carlisle?"

I watched as Carlisle's brow creased, "Three of their Guards have been destroyed beneath our hands. I'm not so sure there will be a chance to demand anything…."

"Four," I added quietly. Alice nodded, "Demetri is still basically useless to them at this point."

"We threaten them," Emmett said roughly, crossing his arms, "Clearly we're a force to be reckoned with, as Bella pointed out before we left the island."

I nodded, my eyes widening, "If they don't release Edward, more of the Guard will perish." I would take down as many of the Guard as I could if they didn't release Edward to me.

"No," Jasper said quickly, "They have too many in their ranks. It's too dangerous to make such threats."

"Bella can shield us from any of their abilities," Emmett cut in quickly. I grimaced. I could hardly keep my shield around all six of them while fighting off the three Volturi; trying to shield them while so close to Edward and surrounded by the rest of the Guard…

"It's too much for her to take on," Jasper countered, glancing at me quickly. A wave of calm flooded over me and my shoulders drooped slowly. I wasn't sure whether I should thank him, or demand he allow me to wallow in my own misery.

"Bella can't fight if she shields us. Besides, there are barely any members left that she would need to shield us from," Carlisle said, running his hand over his hair. It reminded me of Edward and I looked away quickly, my stomach sinking at the notion of where I was going to see him… Of what _condition_ he may be in.

"It seems a bit illogical to send out the most skilled members," Esme said to Carlisle and he nodded, glancing up quickly towards the flight board. A new list was being generated.

"Still on time," he said, and then answered Esme, "It's illogical, but also the best way they know how to control the outside populations. They figure not many will attempt to attack the castle itself. Barely any ever have."

"Except for now," Rosalie added, her voice darkly quietly. Emmett wrapped an arm around her protectively.

"No attacking if possible," Carlisle reminded her. I bit my lip. No, no attacks were wanted, but they may be necessary…

"They're going to start boarding," Alice said quickly and we all stood, moving towards the platform.

Our seats were not first class as they had been when Edward and I flew, but coach. I was glad I had hunted not long ago, but the scent was still a bit much being crowded by so many humans.

"Take the window seat," Alice said, ushering me into the eighth row. She sat beside me quickly as Jasper took his seat – a single a row ahead of us.

"Alice, you and Jasper can sit together, I don't mind…" I trailed off as Jasper turned to glance at me, shaking his head.

"This way Alice can tell you any visions she has during the flight and I'll be close by as well just in case." He shot Alice a glance and then his dark eyes flickered back to me before he turned around in his seat. Just in case Alice saw something bad, he had meant to say. Just in case we were too late. The panic was building as I stared out the window and I felt another trickling of superficial tranquility soothe over me. It was too much and I felt as though I could sleep. It was almost welcomed at the moment.

Carlisle and Esme sat together a few rows behind us, with Emmett and Rosalie seated a few rows behind them. I reminded myself, as the plane began its ascent into the Brazilian sky, that no matter what happened in Italy…no matter the outcome, I needed to thank the Cullens for putting their lives on hold to protect me as Edward had asked. I should have thanked them back on the island, or at the airport, but it was better late than never.

And if we were late to save Edward, well I would ensure I did not walk out of Italy with my head attached to my shoulders. The depressing thought soothed me somewhat. I wouldn't live in a world where he did not exist, and that was final.

Alice gasped and then turned to glare at me, "That isn't an option, Bella. We won't let you go and _off yourself_ if we're too late."

I only just stared at her, "Alice, your family… You don't even know me. Edward is the only connection we have. You don't have to keep me safe or protect me or anything like that."

She continued glaring, but her features took on a hint of hurt, "I thought we were friends, Bella. Just because we have never met in real life before just now doesn't mean we haven't been through a lot together as well. I've been protecting you _and_ Edward – we all have, and not just because you are Edward's mate. You are family now whether or not you think you are."

"No," I whined, earning a glance from the man seated beside Alice. He seemed concerned so I lowered my voice, speaking at a decimal only Alice and the rest of the Cullens would hear, "Of course I care for you all deeply and I'm going to protect you with every ounce of my being, but you can't…endanger yourselves to protect me. I know it's what Edward requested, but I can't –"

"Bella, cool it," Emmett demanded from a few rows back, his voice merely a hiss in the air, "You're a Cullen now whether you like it or not. We protect each other. We have your back."

I slumped in my seat with a scowl and Alice giggled from beside me. I stared up at her, incredulous.

"Well…," she shrugged, "Edward warned us you'd be like this."

"Like what?" I demanded.

"Selfless," she stated nonchalantly. Selfless? If anything, I was being _selfish_ having them protect me. There were already so many in their coven; they needn't add one more body to watch over in Italy. I didn't answer, choosing instead to stare out the window in disdain.

"Edward's landed." Alice's tiny voice came out as nothing more than a whisper. None of the family had spoken for the rest of the trip, but I had a feeling it was due to the inability to form into words how every was feeling; hopeless had moved to the top of my list. My despair had been quickly covered with a sense of calm each time it would reach anxiety level.

"What is he doing? What else did you see? Has he gone to the Volturi yet?" Alice cut off my hectically tumbling questions with a hard glance.

"I've only just seen him land. He's attempting to decide how best to approach Aro." My cold, dead heart felt as though it were ripping through my chest.

"How long until we land, Alice?" Esme asked from further back in the cabin, too silent for human ears. It seemed most were asleep anyhow.

"An hour and twenty-three minutes," she replied after a moment, "We're ahead of schedule." She looked at me quickly out of the corner of her eye and shook her head dauntingly. "He is not going to be happy when he sees us there…"

That hardly mattered now.

"I'll take all the blame," I said quickly, "Tell him I forced you to come along – I mean, I practically did."

"Oh, believe me," Emmett said in a low voice from beside Rosalie. "I'm blaming everything on you. Any anger that he has I'm going to redirect to you." He laughed quietly at that, "He won't be able to stay mad at you, anyways. The rest of us… Well, let's just say I don't want to be living down Edward's wrath and irritation for the rest of eternity."

I heard Rosalie snort in agreement.

That is if we make it in time, I thought to myself, not wanting to put the words out there. My chest felt as though it were caving in and I glanced out the window desperately, hoping to see some form of land below us. Maybe if I somehow jumped from the plane, I'd land in Europe… Perhaps the height from which I fell would somehow gear me closer to the country of interest…

My thoughts were disrupted by Alice's hand clamping down on my knee. I realized that I had begun to rise from my seat. Jasper was watching me suspiciously.

"That wouldn't make any sense," Alice warned quietly. "Besides, you land in the ocean and it takes you even longer to get to Italy. You stay on the plane." I groaned and sank back to my seat as Esme gasped at the realization of my direction of thought.

"Bella, we _will_ make it in time. We _have_ to," she declared. I didn't feel as optimistic. What if the remaining Guard was waiting in the outskirts of the airport to behead Edward as we spoke? What if couldn't even make it out of the gate? What if…

My mind blurred with an abrupt sense of quiet; an overwhelming urge to slump into my seat and rest my head against the glass, but I fought it with every ounce of my being. I didn't _want_ to be made to feel calm…I didn't _want_ the easy way out.

"Jasper, stop it," I hissed.

"Relax and I won't have to interfere." I scowled at him and he turned away from me, "If you are irrational and rash when we land, this will all be over a lot sooner than it needs to be."

He was right, of course. I needed to be of the right mind to protect everyone involved, namely Edward. I still didn't like the false sense of security.

"All right," I hissed. "Loosen your hold at least," I pleaded. After eyeing me thoughtfully, he did as I requested and the despair could move back in just enough that I could keep a level head. Honestly, without Jasper, I _would_ have gone insane by now…

"Thank you," I sighed, "For trying to help. I know I'm a…handful right now."

He shook his head, "It's understandable, Bella. Believe me, any of us would be going through the same harrowing emotions if it was our mate." I saw, from his profile, his brow crease slightly and Alice leaned forward, pressing her palm to his cheek. She was soothing him. I wondered if anything had ever happened between the two of them, or if he was just imagining the terrible possibilities.

"What are we to do if he's already rejoined the Guard?" Rosalie asked, and I heard her leaning closer into Emmett. "What if he honestly doesn't want to come back?"

"It was all a ploy, remember?" Esme stated sternly, " _He_ doesn't want to be in the Guard anymore than we _want_ him in the Guard."

"What he told you, Bella…" Carlisle started and then broke off, "I just… Did he tell you why he never told me of Aro's true request? Surely, we could have worked something out. Surely this was not the only way."

"That's just it," I countered, "It was the only way. He didn't want to put your family in danger and, after speaking with Aro, he thought this was the best way to go about his joining the ranks. He didn't want you to do what we're doing now – he wanted to protect all of _you_."

"Edward is so selfless," Esme said with a sigh. "But unbelievably pessimistic," she added. I almost smiled – almost.

"Where to?"

Each of the Cullens turned to glance at Carlisle as soon as we were through the gates in the Italian airport. My arm was tightly clasped between Emmett and Rosalie's hands to ensure I did not run off.

"Volterra, just within the Province of Pisa," he replied.

"Would it be faster to run or highjack a car?"

Run, I wanted to shout, but I didn't know the answer either.

"We'd need too many cars. We should run. It's dusk anyhow; we shouldn't be apprehended for appearing in the daytime."

"Okay," I pulled against my captives' arms, "Then let's go."

"First, have you seen anything else, Alice? Anything forthcoming?" Carlisle quickly took on his leadership role and I could see why they were all so keen to follow his command. He was very command _ing_.

Alice shook her head, "Only bits and pieces of different decisions. I think they're still trying to keep me in the dark." Carlisle nodded once, affirmatively. "Then we won't waste time trying to decipher them," he said. "Bella," he turned to glance down at me, his golden eyes serious, "It's very important you don't overexert yourself once inside. Don't shield unless absolutely necessary. If we are outnumbered, it will be difficult to protect you from anyone attempting to come after you, and I'm assuming there will be a lot since they will know you are a shield."

"It's no use," Rosalie said flatly, "The moment Edward sees anyone going for her, he'll protect her no matter what. It'll be a quick end if it's a fight they're looking for."

I was shaking my head rapidly, "I can remove my shield and tell him not to worry about me. I'll tell him to focus on himself instead."

"But will _you_ focus on _yourself_?" Rosalie asked, staring down at me sternly. I shrank slightly under her intense glare. "Exactly," she continued, "Edward may very well get us all killed."

"Rose!" Esme admonished angrily before I could retort.

"Think about it," the blonde continued angrily. "He gets _himself_ killed protecting her, she gets _herself_ killed afterwards… The rest is all downhill from there. We won't win."

There were two pessimistic vampires among the Cullen household, clearly. Edward and Rosalie were very similar in mindset.

"That _won't_ happen," I stated sternly, glaring up at her statuesque form. "If Edward is…injured…I will still shield the rest of you." It will only be directly afterwards that I follow whatever path Edward has taken. Death, Guard membership… Wherever he was, I was following.

She scoffed as though she didn't believe me and turned to stare angrily at Emmett.

"Rosie…" He trailed off, glancing up at Carlisle, "Regardless, we should move out now."

"Agreed," I said, and began pulling against his restraints once again. Emmett let me go this time and we were all quickly racing for the woods where we could run conspicuously. Carlisle took the lead and I began to suspect he knew where the castle was. Perhaps he had been here before.

All my thoughts, panic, and tribulations halted the moment we entered the enlarged gates of a city held in stone and brick. I could practically feel Edward's presence, the sensation driving me faster and faster. I was in front of Carlisle now, my feet running desperately across the hidden pathway just outside of the town. It must have been created simply for the Volturi vampires to move about in secrecy. I saw a small opening leading to a dungeon of sorts – a large castle and turned to leap into the shelter quickly.

"Bella, wait!" Alice called, only moments behind me, but it was too late. A rock hard being hit me from the side, sending me flying twenty feet. I landed on my feet, in a protective crouch, my teeth bared as I stared at the female vampire before us.

"Heidi," Carlisle greeted as Alice and Jasper bounded to my side.

"Carlisle," she hissed, a sickening grin twisting over her attractive face. They knew each other? I hesitated, keeping my shield on standby.

"We'd like to speak with Aro," Carlisle continued, glancing at me worriedly. I nodded – I was all right.

"I'm sure you'd love that," Heidi answered darkly, her bright red eyes landing on me. "Isabella, I presume?" She clicked her tongue as I remained defensive. "I'm afraid you and your boyfriend have cause a multitude of problems for the Volturi. Aro is not too happy."

"Where is he?" I snarled, "Where is Edward?"

"Oh, he is speaking with Aro – begging Aro, really, to leave you and his family alone. It's a shame, you see, Edward has…dismantled Demetri. Aro is not too quick to forgive."

"We'd like to be a part of that conversation," Emmett stated, cracking his knuckles menacingly. Heidi did not look disturbed, though I saw her give a quick glance around at the large number of vampires before her. We could easily take her down.

"As it is," she continued with a smile, "Isabella is the only one necessary for such a conversation. I am surprised you have escaped Jane. She really does have it out for you."

I gasped and Esme and Carlisle shared a glance. They didn't know. The Volturi were not yet aware of the amount of deaths on their hands.

"She won't be going without us," Jasper insisted harshly. Heidi eyed him keenly and then glanced back at Emmett. She would not be able to refuse unless she desired a quick death.

"Very well," she stated. "This is not exactly the sort of baiting Aro had in mind, but…" She turned on her heel and we followed eagerly, desperately as she led us to the dungeon.

"Oh, and Isabella? I wouldn't use your shield too much if I were you. Unfortunately for you, you have much to lose if you do not let Aro into all of your heads." She glanced pointedly at the Cullens behind me. "And I'm certain you would not want to see your boyfriend tortured for each family member you cover."

I gasped, my stomach and chest tightening uncomfortably. I had half a mind to jump the female right now and tear her head from her body, but we were within the castle – we were in the Volturi's abode. Death for us would be swift if we began destroying their own within the castle walls. Esme was by my side in an instant, her hand grasping mine soothingly.

"Don't worry about us," Carlisle instructed me softly. "Protect yourself."

Heidi looked back at us with pursed lips. "Cute," she said flatly. "Now…"

We were suddenly flanked by numerous other vampires, their bodies seemed to appear out of nowhere as they each quickly grabbed hold of all seven of us. Emmett was secured by two, the sounds of snarls and growls rippling through the air.

"Don't fight!" Alice insisted loudly. We all heeded her warning, knowing she had most likely seen something happening if we continued to attempt escape.

"Yes, fighting would not be in your best interest. We may be down a few key members, but we have plenty more in holding," Heidi stated and then snapped her fingers. The vampire gripping my arms tightly shuffled me forward and, as Alice had requested, I moved with him. I could hear the rest shuffling behind and I desperately wished Edward were here with us. He would, likely, have a plan, or at least a way to communicate with each of us. We were in the dark with nearly zero plans.

"I'm sure Aro would love to catch up with each one of you," one of the vampires hissed, his grip tight on Emmett, "But I believe a word with the shield would be the utmost desired."

"We all go together," Emmett snarled, fighting his restraints. I saw, horrified, the two vampires holding him both nod before one of them twisted his arm, until a sickening crunch was heard. Emmett howled, followed by a terrorizing snarl from Rosalie. His arm hung loosely by his side now. I panicked.

"Don't – don't hurt them. Please, I'll go in alone, but don't hurt them!"

"Bella, _no_ ," Jasper hissed and I felt a wave of extreme lethargy flood the small enclosure we were captured within. Everyone drooped, slinking over under the enormous weight of Jasper's power.

"Shield us, Bella," he ordered, but my mind was too exhausted to even comprehend his words. He was before me suddenly and I realized the grasp around my arms was no longer there. Even the Volturi could not muster the strength to hold us back. The exhaustion lifted from my mind slowly. "Shield us and we can destroy the ten of them. It's the only way."

I nodded, forcing my shield to expand. He let the exhaustion slip from my mind even more, but it awoke the vampire before me as well. Jasper worked quickly, beheading the vampire with a loud snarl. I stretched my shield over the Cullens, my eyes closing in concentration as the sounds of growls and sighs grew around me.

"Okay, we're good," Jasper whispered, touching my shoulder. I opened my eyes. The Volturi and Heidi had all been decapitated in their exhaustion. Carlisle was beside Emmett in a moment, Rosalie holding his hand tightly. "I need to reattach the bones," Carlisle said before twisting Emmett's arm and then shoving it in an upward gesture. Emmett hissed between his teeth as Rosalie watched, horrified.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," he reassured her quickly. She nodded, closing her eyes tightly.

"Have you seen anything else, Alice?"

She inhaled, glancing quickly at me. The look on her face sent a tremor of fear down my spine. _Edward_.

"We need to get to him – fast," she said with a nod. I was already taking off down the long hallway, Carlisle moving to run before me. I had no idea where we were going. Each tunnel seemed to lead to a hundred different exits, but Carlisle was sure in his way.

"They must be very understaffed at the moment," he noticed and then glanced over at me. "That is very good for us."

I tried to breath in, but it got stuck in my closing throat.

Finally, we broke through to a large hall, several vampires quickly making their way towards us, their faces a mixture of ashen and infuriated.

"Don't!" Carlisle hissed as Emmett and Jasper began to rush forward. They were quickly thrown back by some unforeseen field.

The small dark haired vampire's face twisted into a sneer as she glared at Emmett and Jasper. "Listen to Carlisle," she stated in a hushed accent. "Come any closer and I will extend the field."

 _Renata_.

"Renata, Afton, Chelsea… We demand to see Aro at once," Carlisle stated from where he stood. The other girl, Chelsea, was watching him with keen interest and I quickly shielded us all once again, recalling her ability to manipulate relationships. If she could somehow drive a wedge between us all, Aro would win. Her eyes narrowed before she turned to me with a glare.

"You," she hissed, "The shield girl. We've been waiting for you."

" _Searching_ ," the man, Afton, amended.

"Stalking," I quickly hissed and Carlisle sent me a warning glance. These three were not to be antagonized. "Where is Edward?" I demanded, staring back at Afton. Edward had told me once that he was the weakest; that he was not as strong willed as the others. His eyes shifted towards Chelsea and she snorted.

"Do not fret. You will be with him soon enough," she smiled and all I could see for a moment was red. The shield snapped back to me, but Alice was quickly placing her hand on my arm.

"He's fine," she insisted and Chelsea glared at her.

"The clairvoyant." She tsked and I focused on the shield once more. "So many useful talents in your family, Carlisle. Be careful. You may walk away with only half of your coven."

Jasper snarled at the meaning behind her words – it was not just Edward and I that the Volturi were after.

She sneered.

"This way. We wouldn't want to keep Aro waiting," Renata interrupted. "He does not know you are here, but I am certain he will be ecstatic once he finds out."

We followed a sneering Chelsea, uncertain Afton, and bored Renata, my shield covering the entire family the whole time. It was easier, now, to shield them as I did other things. Again, my main focus was their protection. That and the fact that Edward was merely moments away had my shield stronger than ever. I wanted to stretch it even further, to try to cover him as well, but he was too far.

After what felt like hours but was only minutes moving at human speed, we were stopped just outside of two large, black doors. Renata turned, signaling with a twitch of her finger towards unseen vampires as more came about, restraining us as the others had. I assumed they did not know of the other gathering, lying decapitated just inside of the dungeon gates.

"You understand, I'm sure," she said politely, though there was a hint of malice in her voice. The large doors were pulled open and we were quickly pushed inside, Carlisle and Esme on either side of me, the rest trailing behind.

The first thing I noticed were three overly sized chairs at the forefront of the large, tall room. The chairs on either side of the center chair were flanked by two old vampires and the middle was empty, though another vampire stood before it, his eyes alight with amusement and curiosity. The second, and more important, thing I noticed was Edward standing before the excited vampire, his back turned to us.

As soon as the doors opened, his head swiveled, his eyes landing immediately on me. My entire being felt whole…my dead heart felt warm as our eyes met. Edward was here, but Edward was _alive_. Edward was unharmed. I could have collapsed with the weight of the realization and, indeed, I slumped slightly against the tight grip of the tall vampire clinging to me.

Edward's wide, wild, dark eyes glanced quickly across his family before landing on me once more, his face contorting into something of pain and fury.

" _No_ ," he hissed, turning back to look up at Aro. "We had a _deal_ ," he snarled.

"That we did, young Edward," the old vampire, Aro, stated calmly. My insides turned as he spoke and I quickly extended my shield to cover Edward as well. "However," Aro continued, "this arrival is just as sudden to me as it is to you."

"You can't have her," Edward hissed, suddenly whirling around, his eyes terrified and on me. "I told you to keep her away, I told you –"

"It wasn't their fault, Edward," I gasped, my eyes wide as I stared at him. "I told them –" The vampire restraining me grasped tightly to my forearm, his fingers seeming to pierce through my flesh. I cried out, my face contorting with the sudden pain and Edward roared loudly, moving quickly towards me but he was just as quickly apprehended. His face was murderously angry, but beautiful. I could see that he would fight the hold of the vampire around him and I heard Alice's quick intake of breath to something she had seen in a vision. I dropped my shield quickly, wanting to stop Edward from doing whatever he was about to do.

 _I'm okay, Edward,_ I thought frantically. _Don't do anything reckless._ He stopped fighting immediately, his eyes wide and fierce on me. I started to slide the shield back over, but then remembered the promise I had made to Rosalie. _And don't protect me over yourself or your family. I'll be okay._

Aro clapped his hands together twice, interrupting whatever Edward was about to hiss, thankfully, as he moved from the ledge he had been standing on, his eyes trained on me, a mercurial smile on his wispy face. "Isabella, I take it," he greeted me. Edward seemed torn between continuing to fight his hold to get to me, and following my request. Thankfully, after a quick, pleading glance to him, he stayed put, but his expression was vicious. He would not put up with much, I could see.

Aro's pale, frail hand being placed before me had me glancing away from Edward and towards the fingers in front of me. Aro glanced at the vampire holding me and tilted his head.

"I believe you can release her," he stated. "You won't run, will you, Isabella." It wasn't a question. I shook my head. He smiled. The hold around me loosened and then disappeared, though I could feel his presence just inches beside me. Quickly, I grasped my arm, touching the distinctly sore spot. It was the same place that the needle had penetrated my skin. I could hear Edward's ragged breathing behind Aro and could practically taste the tension radiating from the Cullens behind me.

"We have been searching for you," Aro said softly as though I were an old friend. I grimaced. "Edward has, unfortunately, allowed you to escape one too many times, but it seems he has, ultimately and unintentionally, done the Volturi some good." He turned to gaze at Edward, who only glared back, his dark gold eyes glorious in their anger. "You see, young Edward, you have inadvertently led her straight to me."

Edward snarled loudly and I stilled, my muscles freezing, waiting for a fight, but Aro only laughed quietly and, with a shake of his head, turned back to me, "Hopelessly devoted, I see." His hand lowered and I realized now it was only used as an attempt to gain my attention, not to read from my thoughts. His eyes flickered from me to Carlisle beside me.

"Carlisle, old friend, you do know how to raise them to be loyal, though I do wish they were loyal to more than just each other." He glanced around at the rest of the Cullens, a small smile on his face. His eyes lingered on Alice for a moment longer and I saw her grimace.

"Such talent in your family, Carlisle."

"Yes," Carlisle agreed, "They are talented, though you have some talent as well."

"Yes, well… Edward has ensured one of my talents be destroyed." He tutted, glancing back at Edward. Edward didn't seem repentant in the least.

"And all for true love," he glanced back at me. "I understand, dear Edward. Demetri has always been a bit of a brute…" Edward snorted. He had seemed to calm in the slightest. Or, at least, he wasn't attempting to break from the vampire's hold.

"Isabella, would you mind if I…" Aro rose his hand once more and I glanced quickly to Edward. His stance was too protective…too intense to be calm now and I wondered if refusal meant a quick death. "Unless, of course, you cannot remove the shield from yourself?" Aro raised a thin eyebrow and I bit my lip.

"I can," I said quietly. "Only not for too long."

"Ah," he smiled, "That was a bit of a trick question. You see, I've already witnessed your ability to remove your shield through Edward's mind. You are a lot stronger than I thought you had been. I thought we would need to train you for the Guard, but it seems you are ready for initiation."

At that, Edward growled loudly, moving to take a step forward as though he were not restrained. I glanced up at him, pleadingly. Stay, I wanted to shout.

"I know Edward would not be pleased, but I would very much like a chance into your mind, little one," Aro stated calmly as though he had not even noticed the commotion behind him.

"She is shielding the rest as well," Renata stated with a hideous glare. I stayed still, my eyes still on Aro's extended hand.

"Is that so?" he asked, glancing around to each of the Cullens behind me. Suddenly, he laughed, his hand shaking just the slightest with the sudden sound. "Impressive, Isabella," he gloated, his red eyes dancing back to me. "Edward had not shown me this side of your shield, although I guess it only makes sense." He glanced behind him at a still lurching Edward. He turned back to me, a slight smile on his pale lips, "For how would Edward have known the strengths of your ability? You would be such a great addition…"

He trailed off as Edward began snarling once more and I looked at him quickly, frantic and distressed. His top lip was curled over his front teeth and I saw that now there were two vampires restraining him. Aro clicked his tongue and then, with a gentle movement of his fingers, requested I move towards him. The snarling from behind him only grew louder, but I did as he requested, terrified of what the potential outcome would be. _Edward tortured for each member covered…_ I could only imagine how he would be injured if _I_ refused Aro's demand.

I hesitated as Aro's hand touched my upturned wrist, holding tight to my shield. I could see, clear as day, in Edward's dark eyes that he would likely be screaming at me to protect myself – to shield myself at all costs – but that was unlikely in this situation. Carefully, knowing full well exactly what Aro would see behind my closed mind, I let the shield drift away from me, keeping the edges tight around Edward and his family.

My entire being stilled as he pulled the memories from my mind. The Canadian woods, the burning pain against my scars, the cool lakes, Jane's arrival, Demetri's arrival – and ultimate demise, Edward's arrival, Edward's car, Edward on the phone with Carlisle, Edward hunting, Edward in the hotel, Edward's hand in mine, Edward's mouth, Edward's hair, Edward's eyes, Edward's body, Edward telling me he loved me, the cottage, the bed, the bath tub… I inhaled sharply at the detailed, sensual visions that flashed through me and to Aro. Edward could see everything I could, I knew, since I was no longer shielded to him.

The memories changed, though, with a distinct flash. Edward's depressing words, Edward leaving, my panic at seeing the untouched deer, and then changing more still to the arrival of his family…. The pain, the relief, the excruciating horror… The arrival of Jane, Alec, and Felix – I heard a sharp intake of breath that was not from me this time as Edward saw, for the first time, what had been lurking just out of reach of his extra hearing as he left the island. The arrival turned to the fight – only the sounds as my eyes had been closed for most the fight. Jane's anger, Jane's death, Alec's death, Felix's death… On still until he reached the death of Heidi and the hoard of vampires just within the dungeon walls.

He released my hand as though I had burned him and my eyes raked up to meet Aro's, deadly and threatening. He was furious, but I could see the hint of excitement rising through him. He really was an abominably hideous creature. Even the death of his own sparked some form of arousal within him at the mere notion that the coven before him were powerful allies. Well, allies no more.

I let the shield snap back over me, taking much more care now to ensure it remained over each of the seven Cullens as well. I could see, from my periphery, Carlisle and Esme both shift stances. They knew Aro had seen everything. Edward was unnaturally silent, his brow creased.

"I must say," Aro said quietly, calmly after what felt like hours of silence. "There is more than enough vampire power in this room alone to end all of your lives right this second…" he trailed off, letting that sink in. Yes, we were easily outnumbered three – to – one. There was a sudden tension from each Cullen except Edward and Alice and I figured there was more to Aro's statement…a "but," somewhere.

"But…," he continued, unsurprisingly, "it would be such a waste."

He glanced casually and somehow intensely at each face before him. "And," he continued, "seeing as I need to begin building my ranks…" he looked pointedly at me and each of the Cullens behind me. "Do not look so morose, young Isabella. Jane and Alec…they were a great asset to the Guard – the best, quite possibly. But, as made clear through your memories, they would do me no good even if they were here, alive now." Yes, it was true I would have continued to shield each Cullen from their hauntingly painful abilities. "Which leads me to you…" Aro trailed off as Edward let loose a snarled, " _No,_ " and I already knew the question that was forming in Aro's mind.

"Isabella," Aro said despite the increasingly loud snarling from Edward, "Join…or die?"

My arms were suddenly restrained once more by two vampires this time and I gasped, trying to twist my way from their forceful grasp. We would not win this fight; it was clear now. We may have taken out the vampires within the Guard that relied on their abilities during a fight, but that still left many highly trained, highly skilled fighters. The two vampires holding onto Edward tightened their grasp as he attempted to free himself from them. Growling erupted from beside me and behind me as well as the rest of the Cullens picked up on the menacing threat to Aro's voice.

"Neither," I whispered over the deafening growls, wondering where such a statement would get me. It was true I didn't want to die, but joining the Guard I fancied even less. Aro's mouth quirked up at my non-answer and he turned quickly to glance back at Edward. He had managed to free one of his arms, but was quickly restrained once more. There were three vampires on him now and my stomach leapt into my throat. Death for him would be swift and effortless. I felt as though I were drowning.

"Don't worry," Aro said to him and then looked back towards the remainder of the Cullens, "Everyone will have a chance." He smiled, but it was a hideous, malicious look about his face.

"While this is a fair turn of events," Carlisle stated abruptly, his voice alone cutting off everyone's snarling besides Edward. He had quieted down at least, looking curiously at Carlisle. He couldn't hear the thoughts of his family what with my shield still covering everyone and he was just as in the dark as we all were. Aro glanced at Carlisle curiously. "Most of your talent can be – and is – shielded by Bella, herself," he finished. Was Carlisle trying to convince Aro I would not be an asset to his Guard?

"Hmm," Aro pondered briefly, his eyes flickering back over my face. "You're right, of course, Carlisle," he finally decided. "You were always such a blessing in our ranks. So wise…" I stared blankly at Aro. Carlisle had been a member of the Volturi at one point?

"And this is the very reason I left, if you recall," Carlisle stated sternly, though not impolitely. Aro's eyes twinkled. "Yes, I do recall you were not one for this lifestyle." His eyes shifted back to me, "And I believe, if I am understanding what you are saying, Isabella here would _also_ not be one for this lifestyle. Perhaps more of a liability than an asset. You would continuously shield _against_ me, wouldn't you?" He didn't wait for an answer, laughing instead and then shook his head, glancing down at the floor. He pressed a finger to his lip, deep in thought. Edward's snarling picked up once again though for what, I was not sure.

Aro looked up at me, then, his smile hardening on his lips, "Unfortunately, I do believe I can no longer give you a choice." He glanced at the vampire grasping tightly to my arm, twisting it behind my back. "Death," he said with a curt nod. My eyes widened, the panic rushing through my body as the vampires held me tightly, one moving his hand to grasp my chin. "This may hurt, just slightly," he said with a sneer, but his words were hushed beneath the deafening roar soaring through Edward and suddenly I was being pushed backwards, the grip on my face faltering as the arm of the capturing vampire was torn straight from his body. Edward was murderously before us, moving fast as a flash around me, protecting me from any intruding vampires, his face set in a dangerously ashen façade, his exhalations nothing more than growls as the vampires he had freed himself from hurtled towards him.

They were fast, though not faster than Edward, and they had one advantage over Edward – they outnumbered him four – to – one. The third vampire that had been restraining him moments ago, lay to the cement, his head clean off his body. The vampire that had lost an arm was standing before Edward as the other three restrained him, snarls and growls releasing from everyone within the room. I could see, from my tunnel vision view, that Emmett and Jasper had both escaped from their restraints and I wondered if they, too, had managed to destroy the vampires holding them back, but I didn't dare turn to look. My eyes, my attention, my focus was entirely and horrifically on the scene before me as the three vampires forced a snarling Edward to his knees. He would be executed. In front of me. _Because_ of me.

" _NO! I'LL JOIN, I'LL JOIN!"_ The words were screeching from my mouth before I even had a chance to understand what I was saying, not that it much mattered. I would do anything to keep them from destroying the love of my life. " _DON'T KILL HIM, I'LL JOIN!_ " I continued the same breath, my eyes helplessly on Edward and then shifting frantically to Aro, then back to Edward.

Aro had stared up at me at my words and simply put out a hand, the movement of his vampire army halting with the slight gesture. I exhaled deeply, my shoulders dropping as my heart plunged through my bones. I felt as though I would collapse under the pure fright, the sheer terror of what could have – what almost _had_ – happened.

"Join, you say?" Aro asked softly, and Edward growled loudly, his midnight eyes darting to me. Emmett and Jasper were beside me, staring intently down at Edward. I had screamed the words before they had even had a chance to protect their brother. The rest were motionless in their restraints.

"Yes," I breathed, closing my eyes.

" _Bella, no_ –" Edward snarled and my eyes flashed open, landing directly on him. He was so, so beautiful and so, so endangered.

"Yes, I'll join and I won't go against you. I won't shield _against_ you, if you let Edward go," I interrupted Edward, looking away from his devastatingly horrified eyes back to Aro. He was smiling like a child who had just been given a new toy, his hands clapping together once and folding in on themselves.

"If I may," Carlisle stated severely, interceding once more. He didn't sound so polite anymore and his eyes were as murderous as Edward's had been. Esme looked equally horrified and furious beside him, their arms still tight in the grasps of two vampires each. He continued as though he held any ground against Aro, "I was not implying the death of Bella or for her to join your ranks. I was simply pointing out that you clearly underestimated the power that my family holds." Aro's eyes narrowed.

"You have so few good members left – so few members left in _general_ , and yet all of that can be changed with one, single death." He stared at Aro intently and Aro's expression seemed to falter slightly before his mouth turned into a scowl. Whatever Carlisle was implying, Aro did not like it.

"With a single death that can be easily attainable," Carlisle continued cryptically, "The rest of your Guard can easily collapse on itself." Edward, seemingly made aware of Carlisle's secret plan, suddenly flitted from his kneeling position, moving too fast and too unforeseeably for the surrounding vampires to stop him and in half a second he was on the other side of the room, closer to where Alice and Rosalie stood, his grip tight around Chelsea's throat. Afton snarled loudly from further away, but made no movement forward as Edward shot him a cold, hard look. With one quick slash, he could behead her. I gasped as did Chelsea as we both realized what was happening.

Edward had told me that Chelsea was the reason the Guard remained such an unstoppable force. Chelsea was the only reason that each vampire remained loyal to Aro. Kill Chelsea and the faction fell apart. Aro seemed to realize this as well as his scowl turned into an outright glare.

"Rethink your decision to build your ranks using my family. Let us go, and nothing will happen to Chelsea." Carlisle's words, seemingly so unlikely – trade one life for eight – froze Aro's face as he considered his possible outcomes. He had already lost too many today, and losing Chelsea would ensure he lost the rest.

Suddenly, Renata spoke, quickly and quietly, her eyes on her master, "What does this mean, Aro? Chelsea is surely not a trade for Cullen lives." Emmett hissed at her words, and Chelsea glared over at her.

Aro glanced at Renata and then to the remaining vampires who were confused as well. Surely, he could spare this one life to build his ranks once more. But they didn't know the power that Chelsea wielded. They did not know the reason all of them were so hopelessly devoted to the cause. Aro, however, did. "Surely, I know not of what he speaks," he said to Renata and Edward growled, his grip tightening. There was a steady ripping sound as the skin on the side of Chelsea's neck began to tear.

"Your choice," Edward hissed cryptically. Aro stared for another moment before a sudden grin spread across his face. I watched, horrified of the decision he had come to.

"Ha!" he yelled, clapping his hands together once. He looked at Carlisle, "How I have underestimated your family, Carlisle."

"Underestimated, yes," Carlisle agreed with a soft smile. He could see that the worst was over and I saw Esme glance at him quickly. "Let us go now and there will be no more blood spilt," he added.

Aro laughed softly. "Suit yourself," he stated, clearly relieved that neither Carlisle nor Edward had spoken of his bond with Chelsea to the rest of the room. "There will, however, be blood spilt once we have a parade of humans through the room." Suddenly it was as though we were all friends as Aro smiled at each one of us, his eyes landing on Rosalie quickly. "You, my dear, could have been a new Heidi, but…very well."

He spread his hands apart from each other, motioning around the room with a distinctive air of resolution and suddenly each vampire that was surrounding the Cullens and myself disappeared to the other side of the room, standing beside their master, their faces grim and apprehensive. I gasped as Carlisle stepped forward a few inches, his hand outstretched to Aro.

"You will not hear from us again. You have my word." Aro moved to take his hand and once his skin touched Carlisle's, he turned to glance at me pointedly.

"If you wouldn't mind, Isabella…" My shield. My gaze flickered to Carlisle, uncertain and horrified but he only sent me a small smile and nod. I let the shield slip from him slightly, still tight around the rest and Aro was set in a daze as he flickered through Carlisle's memories.

"Ah!" he exclaimed excitedly at one point, "Such a good year for us!" Carlisle only forced a smile as Aro continued flicking through the memories. I glanced beside me where the rest of the Cullens had gathered, each beside their mate. I looked back further to find Edward still beside Heidi, his fingers at her throat as a warning. This wouldn't be over until we walked from Volterra, I knew, and he was preparing for a quick change in decision on Aro's part. His dark eyes gleamed as he stared at me and I knew the look. I had seen it plenty of times while we were on the run – amazement and now a hint of something else. He was proud of me; proud of the strength of my shield. I turned back quickly, not wanting to get lost in the dazzling gaze of Edward and miss anything happening around us, but Carlisle was dropping his hand as Aro smiled at him.

"Very well, Carlisle. You have always been a man of your word."

He turned to me one last time, "Animals, Isabella? I could have sworn your eyes were red the last time Jane encountered you."

I looked to Carlisle and he nodded once to me. It was all right to reply – the worst was over.

"I've had a change of diet," I said quietly. Aro only tsked, but smiled nonetheless.

"How miserable," he stated and then, with a flourish of his hands, the large doors opened behind us. "Off you go," he ordered and then looked to Edward and Chelsea. "And do release her, please," he added as an afterthought. Edward let go immediately and Chelsea quickly flitted to stand beside Aro on the opposite side of the vast room, her expression guarded and irritated. She appeared by Aro's side at the same time as Edward appeared by mine. He stood so close, his chest brushing against my shoulder and I glanced up at him, adoration and relief flowing through my eyes. He shared the emotions eagerly.

"Thank you, Aro. It was…interesting," Carlisle said with a small smile and Aro laughed.

"Interesting, indeed, my friend."

With that, Carlisle turned, tilting his head in the direction of the doors and we all filed out quickly and gratefully, not slowing our speed until we reached outside of the castle, outside of the gates, and outside of the city silently, hastily.

We were all _alive_. We were all _safe_. We were all _together_.


	25. Learning to Fly

**I do not own the Twilight Saga or its characters.**

 _Bella POV_

It wasn't until we cleared the woods leading to the airport that anyone spoke.

"Are we safe now, Alice? Do you see any sort of retaliation?"

Alice glanced at Carlisle, a small smile on her face, "No, I think we are safe. But I'll keep a lookout."

"The bit about the girl…what was that?" Emmett asked as we all slowed to a subtle jog.

Edward's hand was firmly grasped in mine and he glanced at Emmett, a wild glint in his eye, "Chelsea – she has the power to manipulate relationships. She's the reason the Volturi are what they are."

"So, the Volturi are basically a scam," Emmett commented with a laugh. It was more of a relieved sound than anything humorous.

"Can we wait until we're out of Italy before we start badmouthing, please?" Rosalie snapped, picking up the pace once more. "Do we have tickets already? I just want to get out of here."

"Roundtrip," Carlisle said quickly, clearly agreeing with Rosalie's desire to halt any conversation about the Volturi. He shot Edward a glance, "And an extra ticket."

Edward smiled.

"I'm truly sorry," he started, his eyes widening as he looked between Carlisle and Esme.

Esme was shaking her head quickly, her eyes large and gold. "As long as you are safe, there's no need for apologies. We know why you did what you did," she insisted. He ducked his head and I squeezed his hand tightly. _I_ however was still royally pissed at him.

"And next time something like this happens… _please_ tell me about it, Edward," Carlisle insisted and Edward only nodded with a sigh. I narrowed my eyes, staring up at him. I wasn't sure I believed the farce, but I wouldn't be letting him out of my sight for the next century, so if he were to try _anything_ remotely similar to this, I would know.

"How's your shoulder, Emmett?" Carlisle asked quickly as he handed out the tickets.

"Perfectly fine, doc," Emmett replied and I saw Edward's eyes widen as he saw through Emmett's mind what had happened.

"Nice," he commented wryly and then turned to me, "Beautiful." I knew he was speaking of my shield work, but I felt like I could have blushed at the way he was looking at me. I didn't answer, instead looking away to Carlisle.

"Is it over? Really over?" I asked, my voice quiet. Edward wrapped his arm around me, pulling me into his side. Carlisle smiled as did Esme, both of their faces showing their absolute love and adoration for their son.

"Yes," Carlisle said to me, "I believe it is."

I smiled, unable to help it. Somehow, we had all survived this ordeal. All the future visions Edward and I had talked about on Isle Esme…suddenly they did not seem that farfetched. He could play piano for me, we could decorate our bedroom, he could teach me to drive…

We were silent as we boarded the plane, everyone in their own thoughts of how the night had gone. It was a miracle, really, that we could leave in such high spirits – well, high for the terror that we had all just been through.

Edward pulled me along with him down the aisle until we reached row twelve. This time, the seats were all coupled. No one had to sit on their own which was good for me. I wasn't sure I could stand being away from Edward even just by a few inches.

"You are being very quiet," he commented as I leaned into his shoulder once seated, one of his hands clasped in both of mine. "Are you all right?"

I glanced up at him, blinking once.

"No," I breathed. "I'm extremely angry with you." He blinked, now, at my words, his brow creasing.

"For leaving," he said with a small nod, his eyes intense as he looked down at me. I huffed, shaking my head. Yes, for leaving, but that wasn't the main reason I was angry.

"Edward…you ran off to the Volturi _by yourself_. You could have gotten yourself _killed_ ; you said they would execute you _on the spot_ – do you understand how worried I've been?"

"It's true," Alice interjected from her seat beside Edward. Jasper sat on her left by the aisle. "She was having me check your future non-stop."

"And then, even after seeing that you were perfectly fine, that they hadn't harmed you, they _swarmed_ you and…and…" I couldn't even finish the words as images of Edward on his knees, restrained flashed through my mind. It was a good thing vampires couldn't sleep – the sight would have given me nightmares for the rest of eternity.

"Shh, Bella," Edward soothed, moving his free hand to brush his thumb across my cheekbone. "It's all right. We're all okay…"

I shook my head and held his hand to my face, staring up at him. "Don't ever do that to me again, Edward Cullen," I hissed and he had the audacity to smile softly down at me, his eyes melting. They were lighter now – liquid gold instead of charcoal.

"I'm very sorry, Bella," he said in his low, velvet voice and I could practically feel myself giving into his charm. I closed my eyes, leaning back against the seat. "But I was only trying to protect you," he added quietly and my eyes snapped open as I stared up at him.

"We protect each _other_ , Edward. I could have helped you…I could have shielded you…" He silenced my pained mumblings by placing his finger to my lips, his eyes sad.

"It's all right, Bella," he whispered, "We're safe. I'm safe – _you're_ safe." I sighed and leaned back against the seat once more, closing my eyes. He was right. These thoughts swarming through my mind, these "what ifs" were just that – what ifs. We had survived and that was the best possible outcome.

"But I do have to thank you…" I said softly, opening my eyes and he was looking down at me, confused. "If you hadn't left…if you hadn't called your family to come watch over me – which, by the way was _not_ okay," I said angrily. He only smiled sheepishly. "If you had stayed with me," I continued slowly, "we would have died, no doubt. The two of us would have had no chance against Jane, Alec, and Felix."

His eyes hardened at my words and his hand clenched in mine. "If I would have known for one second they were out there…"

"Then you would have stayed, and we would have died," I filled in for him sternly. He sighed, the sound coming out as no more than a growl and I leaned closer to him, grasping his face roughly between my hands.

"You're right," I whispered, my eyes searching his. "We are alive and that's all that matters." I pulled his face to me and he came willingly, his mouth seeking out mine in a soft, passionate kiss. It was like our first kiss all over again, except more relieved – more grateful.

"Okay!" Alice's tiny hand moved between us harshly, pushing me back to my seat and Edward growled quietly at her. A wash of contentment soared over the two of us and we sat back in our seats, quieter and less passionate as Jasper looked on with a knowing smirk.

"I'm sorry, but that would not have ended anywhere good," she remarked, raising her eyebrows at the two of us. Edward glanced away from me and towards Alice's head as he watched whatever vision had been formulating within her mind. Edward's eyes danced and when he looked back at me, they were dark and intense.

"I'd actually like to _fly_ home, not have the plane crash with your animalistic advances, Edward." I couldn't help but to giggle and Jasper rolled his eyes. Emmett laughed loudly from the row in front of us which he shared with Rosalie, Carlisle, and Esme. Carlisle and Esme were sharing knowing glances and smiles. Edward had been the odd man out for so long in their coven of mates, they were joyous he had found me – and that everything had turned out better than expected. My skin crawled with the feeling of a blush, though it didn't show anywhere on my being.

"Did you notice the scent in the air inside of the cottage, Jazz?" Emmett asked loudly and a few of the human passengers glanced over at him in annoyance and then fright as to his sheer size. He hardly fit into one of the seats.

"Scent?" Jasper asked with a wicked gleam in his eye, "The emotions were practically still swirling throughout the rooms." Edward groaned and I finally caught on to what they were talking about as I shrank down in my seat, looking away from Jasper's amused expression. Alice was smiling as well.

"All right, enough," Esme admonished, though there was a slight trace of humor in her voice as well. Emmett grumbled, but ultimately fell quiet. Edward wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer to his side and brushed his lips and nose against my hair. "If you haven't noticed by now," he murmured to me quietly, "the family is extremely intrusive."

"Just something you have to look forward to, Bella," Carlisle said with a soft laugh. I felt as though my heart was expanding in my chest. How easily they accepted me as a part of their family; as one of their own. It was as though I had been with them all along, from the beginning of my transition. I saw Jasper's eyes flicker to Edward and then to me as Edward smiled, pressing his lips to my temple.

" _We're_ intrusive?" Rosalie practically hissed, turning in her seat to glare at Edward. He only flashed his teeth at her in a move meant to be not-so-kind. I would have to ask Edward about that. It seemed they were always on each other's bad side. I had a _lot_ to ask Edward about…

The remainder of the flight was nearly silent, only hushed conversations between the Cullens every now and then, secret reminders of love between the mates. We had all been through a whirlwind today and it was nice everyone could appreciate the silence of the flight.

As soon as we landed, Edward stood, grasping my hand. He didn't let me go the entire way, not that I minded. I was still going to be keeping a close eye on him for the next century _at least_. He was too selfless; I couldn't trust that he wouldn't pull something like this the next time any of us were in danger.

"Washington?" I asked, glancing at the board within the airport. Alice and Jasper had hurried off to find a car. Jasper's thirst had become a bit of a problem during the last half of the flight and he had sat in silent contemplation, his face hard as Alice attempted to soothe him.

"Are we going back to Forks?"

"Yes," Carlisle responded with a nod, "We've left most our belongings there. We took hardly anything." Oh, right. The closet filled with clothing. I glanced up at Esme quickly.

"I'm sorry…I used some of your clothing and a hairbrush, but I lost it all along the way…" I chewed at my bottom lip, my sharp teeth nearly cutting clean through the flesh but Edward pulled my lip away from my teeth before any damage could be done. Esme only laughed, her soft, caramel hair bouncing around her shoulders as we walked.

"That is quite all right, Bella. Please, don't fret about the clothing!" She pressed the palm of her hand to my cheek, smiling at me warmly.

"Besides, Alice has most likely already created a wardrobe for you," Rosalie said, quirking an eyebrow at me. "It's sort of her job," she said with a small smile, "Alice handles the clothing and makes sure we don't stick out like sore thumbs at school." _School!_ I wondered if I would also be going to high school. I wasn't so sure I wanted to. Although, I had died before I could graduate…

Edward's eyes widened, glancing towards the parking garage and I followed his gaze, my eyes widening as well. It was the car he had ditched before. The brand new one he had bought as soon as we had fled Canada. Alice drove up to us in the car, Jasper trailing behind in another sporty vehicle.

"I agreed with Bella," Alice said as she stepped out and handed the keys to Edward, "You _could_ have left the car at the house."

"Did you steal that?" I asked, pointing at the car Jasper was still sitting in the driver's side of. Alice laughed, a chiming sound. "We just traded the man over there seventy-thousand-dollars cash for it. I don't think that counts as stealing." _How_ they had seventy-thousand-dollars _cash_ lying around, I would never be sure, but I had a feeling it had to do with remaining inconspicuous from the Volturi.

"Hotels?!" Edward gasped, turning to glance at Carlisle. "You've been staying in hotels?"

"Yes, it was easier than staying put to one of the houses. We used cash, no credit cards," Carlisle answered. Edward suddenly let go of my hand, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly as his eyes screwed shut.

"I told you to stay away from South America," he practically growled. Whatever he could hear in Carlisle's thoughts, he did not enjoy.

"Edward," Carlisle said calmly as though he were used to Edward's reactions, and he most likely was. He placed his hand on Edward's shoulder, but Edward didn't relax. "We were only staying nearby in case you needed us and," he glanced down at me pointedly, "you did. If we hadn't been moving hotels so much, we would not have gotten to the island in such ample time."

Edward sighed with a low growl but eventually released his angered stance, quickly taking my hand once more.

"It's over," Carlisle reminded him softly, "No more blame." Edward stared at his father figure for a moment longer before nodding reluctantly. He turned to me, the keys in his left hand.

"Shall we?" He moved to open the passenger door and I sat inside. Emmett and Rosalie followed, sitting in the backseat as Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme regrouped in the car just behind us. Edward pulled out of the airport quickly, dodging the heavy traffic effortlessly.

"This was a good purchase, Edward. Too bad you didn't have this one up in Canada. You would have gotten away much quicker," Rosalie said after a few minutes of glancing around at the interior of the car.

Edward glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "It's yours," he said. She grinned. "I was going to give you the Vanquish, as well, if I never made it back home, but…" he trailed off and I grimaced. I didn't like thinking of Edward having not made it home.

We arrived at the house in Forks before the others, but once everyone was safely inside, I could see the collective relief that flew across the room.

I stared as Carlisle and Esme hugged Edward, glad that he was home and safe and watched as Rosalie inspected Emmett's arm, Alice and Jasper stared at each other in that way I had seen them do before.

"Thank you," I said quickly and quietly and everyone turned to glance at me. I played with my fingers, keeping my eyes from Edward's intense, dark gaze. He was still beside Esme, her arm wrapped around his shoulder in a motherly caress. I made a point to look at each one of the Cullens – save Edward – as I spoke.

"I know you all risked your lives to protect me and I am so, so grateful to all of you. Alice, thank you so much for keeping an eye out for anything happening, and Carlisle and Esme of course for going to such lengths to keep us safe. Emmett…I'm so sorry you got hurt, and that, of course, is something else you can blame on me." He laughed loudly at that, flexing his arm to show that he was no longer injured. He had healed completely, "And Rosalie, thank you for keeping us moving forward after the island, and, of course, Jasper – thank you for messing with my emotions on the plane ride there. I was troublesome, I know, but just…thank you all for protecting Edward and me. It means the world to me."

Esme was quickly releasing Edward and flitting to my side, pulling me into a hug. "Of course, dear," she said quietly in my ear, "We will always protect you as though you were one of our own. You are to me and Carlisle how the rest of the family is – you are our daughter, now." Carlisle was smiling from beside Edward and I felt the familiar burning in my eyes, though there would be no tears.

"Thank you," I said, slightly choked up.

"You are a sister to us now, Bella, whether or not you are Edward's mate," Alice said with a grin. Jasper nodded from beside her and Rosalie smiled. They were such a great family.

Emmett clapped once, loudly, "Well, this was great and all, but…Rose?" He tilted his head towards the far staircase and she rolled her eyes, but grinned nonetheless, following him as they disappeared out of sight. I had an inkling what they were about to do.

"I guess I should make arrangements to work for the hospital once more," Carlisle said, raising his eyebrows as he glanced at Esme.

"Yes," she agreed, "And I will begin planning the layout for your bedroom." Esme glanced between Edward and I and I grinned up at her. "Edward's room is quite small, dear," she said with a sigh, "We'll either have to extend, or move you to a different room."

"It's perfectly fine, Esme," Edward groaned, appearing at my side in an instant. "It's bigger than any of the hotel rooms we have stayed in." He looked down at me and I shrugged. "Don't extend," I said quietly, "I'm sure it is all right." As long as a bed would fit inside of the room… I looked away from Esme as the thought paraded into my mind. How embarrassing.

"Bella, let's go figure out what kind of clothing you'd like," Alice exclaimed excitedly, putting out her hand, but Edward pulled me away from her quickly.

"I get her now, Alice. You can have her later tonight – maybe," he added and she scowled.

Jasper laughed softly, "Let's go hunt, Alice. Leave them be." She rolled her eyes and stormed off to follow Jasper. Esme laughed, shaking her head and, with a last smile, left to join Carlisle in his study.

Edward wrapped his arms around me, crushing me to his chest. "Come," he said softly, "I want to show you something."

The meadow was quaint and covered in flowers in the early morning sun. Light was streaming through the trees, just barely illuminating our skin.

"It's beautiful," I gasped, running my fingers across the purple petals beside me.

"I like to come here for the silence," Edward said, pulling me against him so that I sat against his chest. "Although, your mind would be a welcomed change to that," he murmured, running his nose down the side of my neck and then up to my jaw. I tilted my head, my brow creasing.

"That was so embarrassing," I groaned, thinking back to Aro and his cold, frail hand on my wrist.

"What was?" Edward asked, pulling away just slightly, clearly confused.

"Aro…seeing all those memories." If I could blush, I'd be scarlet.

Edward chuckled and continued his ministrations along my jaw, his lips now parting to drag effortlessly back and forth across the skin. I closed my eyes, tightening my grip on his arms around my waist. His gentle, soft touches were igniting a fire deep within me.

"Don't be embarrassed, love," he breathed, "Aro's ability allows him to see any memory, any thought, that has ever passed through your mind. Believe me, sex comes with the territory. I've seen worse through his mind while he was reading other vampires."

"Most my thoughts were about you…" I trailed off, resting my head back against Edward's shoulder, "He must have thought I was obsessed." _Edward_ must have thought I was obsessed. Well…I was.

He laughed. "I'd say lovesick," he mused and then quickly reached around to grasp my chin, turning my head to the side so that I could see most of his hauntingly beautiful face. "My thoughts were the same as yours," he assured me, thinking back to when Aro had read his mind when he had first arrived. "Worse, actually. I was infatuated…besotted," he tilted my face up just enough so that he could brush his lips to mine. "I still am," he said before kissing me deeply, his lips parting and his tongue darting out and along my bottom lip. Edward _loved_ me as much as I loved him… It seemed impossible and yet wholly, completely natural.

I turned in his embrace quickly, hooking my legs over his and out behind him as I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him hard. But his words reminded me of something, and I pulled away. He tried to reach for me again, his mouth seeking mine but I leaned back just slightly with a smile. His eyes were intense, passionate.

"What was your deal with Aro?" I asked quietly. His eyes hardened, his fingers moving to brush along my cheeks.

"Same as yours, basically." He scowled, remembering when I had willingly given myself over to the Volturi for Edward's safety. "I promised to rejoin if he would let you go."

"And it worked? He was going to accept your deal?"

Edward pressed his lips together, his eyes flickering away from me and then back. "I told him that I would consult Carlisle on the werewolf venom. Make it better – more effective. He hadn't liked how quickly you had woken up…" he trailed off, his eyes saddening and I pulled him to me.

"Don't," I whispered against his mouth. "That's the past. We've moved on. This is our new life. _Together._ "

He stared at me for a moment before his eyes melted, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

"I love you," he whispered, one of his hands tangling into my hair. "You are my life, Bella. My entire world. Wherever you are, I will follow."

I smiled, pressing my lips to his quickly, "Well, then I guess we'll be staying here."

He grinned, "Sounds like a plan to me." His eyes flashed quickly and suddenly his grip was tightening on my waist as he pulled me roughly against him, pulling my mouth back to his. The kiss was desperate, pleased, repenting, and forgiving all at once. My tongue stole into his mouth, tasting him completely as I had done before on the island. He was so _delectable_. Between his touch, his taste, his smell, and his sounds, he had me in a heap of desire within moments.

One of his hands moved from my hip to skim over my stomach, up further until he reached my chest. He cupped me gently in his hand and we both moaned at the connection before he was kissing me again, harder this time – frenzied. His other hand moved as well, and he began kneading my breasts beneath his skilled hands. I whimpered and he moved his mouth down along my chin.

"Now," he breathed against my jaw, "I do believe I was promised something the last time we made love." I looked down at him, blinking away the haze of desire as I recalled what I had promised him. _Oh_. He had wanted to taste me – all of me. I bit my lip and then kissed him once more, silently telling him that the promise still held. He hissed against my mouth and in an instant, I was lying back in the grass, my pants removed as Edward hovered over me. I reached up and tugged at his shirt, pulling it off his shoulders. A few of the buttons broke loose, but he didn't seem to care or notice as he kissed me again.

His mouth moved further down my body, over my chin, down my throat, over my shirt, stopping just before the hem of my panties. He lifted my shirt and I sat up quickly so he could discard the material. He hummed in appreciation as I lay practically bare beneath him, his hands inching up my stomach to fondle my breasts once more.

I moaned, throwing my head back into the grass.

"I've missed you so," he whispered against my skin of my shoulder. "I thought I would never see you again… I thought I would never get to see you smile, hear you laugh, hear you speak again…" His fingers moved deftly down my body until they were against my arousal, over my panties. He pressed against me and I moaned loudly, flexing my hips towards him. "And I thought I'd never hear that again," he added with a soft moan of his own.

I could hardly stand in. I felt as though I was going to combust.

"You get to see me, touch me, make love to me, Edward. We're here _together_ ," I answered breathlessly, itching my fingers through his bronze locks.

He pulled back just slightly, gazing up at me from beside my stomach.

"Forever?" he asked. I swallowed, gazing down at him with as much love and passion as I could muster.

"Forever," I agreed. He sent me one of his jaw dropping crooked smiles and then his mouth was ascending on me, his fingers pulling away my panties as his tongue and lips caressed the delicate skin of my stomach. I twisted in his grasp, sighing at the sensation. He looked up at me quickly before pressing his lips to each of my inner thighs and I watched, aroused as his inhaled the scent at the apex of my thighs. He growled and when his eyes opened, they were pitch black.

"You smell just as heavenly as always, Isabella," he groaned and suddenly his tongue was on me…in me…caressing the silky, delicate folds of my arousal. I cried out, my hips flexing towards him, but he only pressed them to the ground gently, continuing his assault.

"And yet, you taste even better," he moaned against my flesh and the vibration alone had me keening for release. He continued tasting me, his tongue moving against the length of my arousal until he focused the majority of his attention on the small nub at the top and, as he slid a finger inside of me, I cried out, my walls clamping quickly and harshly around his finger, my hips pressing closer to him. He growled eagerly, desperately until I finally came down, my back dropping to the ground below me roughly, my fingers releasing their hold of the grass around me. He was watching me, his lips delicately moving along my slicked arousal, his eyes darker than I had ever seen them.

"My turn," he growled and then was over me in an instant, his mouth on mine, warm and sheened with my taste. I moaned against his mouth and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue between my lips, past my teeth, and to my own tongue. Using his hand, he reached down to part my legs and then in one swift motion was filling me completely.

He groaned against my mouth, his head moving to the side and resting against my shoulder. He didn't move for a moment, instead turning to look at me with a smoldering gaze. "I love you, Bella," he whispered almost harshly and I felt the familiar pricking along the rims of my eyes.

"I love you, too, Edward," I breathed back, capturing his mouth with mine again. He groaned and began moving within me, taking both of us higher, faster, soaring to the sharpest point of our pleasure and we fell together. I was wrapped around him like a flag as I pulsed around him, his hips stilled as they pressed against my thighs, his voice growling deeply in my ear. My fingers moved to grasp his hair as he jerked against me once more, sending another spiraling orgasm tumbling through me. I blinked, staring up at the bright blue sky. Edward and I lay together, connected as one, _releasing_ as one, as we glimmered brilliantly in the center of our meadow.

I had never been happier. I smiled, holding him tight to me as he collapsed against me, putting his weight on me as I had wished for. He was magnificent…beautiful…loving.

And he was mine. Forever.


	26. Epilogue

**I do not own the Twilight Saga or its characters.**

 _Bella POV_

"Edward said that you can choose the color pattern for the room as well, Bella," Esme said as she placed a large book of fabric samples in front of me on the table. Alice sat on my other side, leaning towards the book.

"This is the one Jazz and I have on the windows." She pointed to a dark grey color scheme. "It makes the room really dark, though."

"He doesn't want to choose any of this?" I asked, staring up at Esme. She smiled at me, "He wants you to be happy with the room." I refrained from rolling my eyes and glanced back down at the book.

"So, what are the fabrics I need to choose…?" This was highly unnecessary. I had _told_ Edward that everything was fine exactly how it was, but he was adamant that I get exactly what I wanted.

" _You've never had the chance to live in a house, Bella. I have for the past eighty – some years,"_ he had said with one of his dazzling smiles.

"These are for the curtains…these are for the carpet…these are for the comforter sets…and _these_ ," she flipped to the very end of the book. I wondered if she had made this herself. " _These_ are the drapes for the walls. Edward likes for his room to be as soundproof as possible. You understand why, I'm sure."

"So…if this is what he wants, then he should choose," I commented and Esme shrugged. "You can ask him. I doubt he will mind either way."

"And you are sure you want to do this?" I asked, making a move to grab the book, "You really want to renovate the entire room?"

Alice giggled at my question and patted my hand. "This is what Esme does best. She _loves_ decorating the houses."

"It's true," Esme answered with a large grin. She waved her hand around the enormous kitchen we were standing in. "I've designed this entire house myself. The glass windows aligning each wall were my idea." I raised my eyebrows, glancing around unnecessarily. I had been living here for nearly a week now and I pretty much knew the house inside and out.

"Well, you are very good at designing, then," I complimented her and she smiled warmly at me.

"Go see which ones Edward would like. I'd like to start as soon as possible."

She really was excited for this. That made me feel better; it made me feel less like an intruder, and more like someone giving Esme an excuse to do something she loved to do. I smiled and hopped off the barstool, large fabric book in hand.

"I'll be right back," I said and then took off for Edward's room – _our_ room. He always was quick to correct me if I ever said _your_ room, or, _your_ family. The Cullens had welcomed me graciously and with open arms as Edward's mate.

I could hear the soft notes of classical music chiming from beneath the door and I knocked only once before the door was flying open, Edward gazing down at me. He was such a dazzling sight to behold. His beauty took my breath away every time I saw him, though I had been with him nearly twenty-four/seven since we arrived home from Italy. I hardly ever let him out of my sight and vice versa. The only reason for this slight change in physical connection was because I had promised Alice we could plan my wardrobe together. Edward had wanted to stay with me, but Alice kicked him out, much to his – and my – dismay.

His golden eyes were scorching as he stared down at me, his hand holding open the door, but he was scowling.

"You don't have to knock to enter your own room, Bella," he admonished and I grinned.

"What if you were changing?" I pressed and his eyes darkened as his scowl melted from his face.

"If I was disrobing, you would be in here with me, disrobing as well," he stated. I bit my lip, the sudden desire lighting a flame within me, but there was a _reason_ I had come up here, and I didn't want to keep Esme waiting.

I moved closer to him and he shut the door behind me before quickly grasping my face tightly between his hands and tilting my head up to kiss me. I kissed him back just as urgently, just as desperately until I remembered the book in my hands.

"Wait," I breathed against his lips.

"No," he mumbled and kissed me harder. His mouth turned up at the corners and he pulled away, looking down at me.

I sighed, trying to clear my muddled mind of everything Edward, and held up the book. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at it and then glared at me. Clearly the book had been in existence for some time.

"I told you, you have all the decision," Edward stated, his hand moving to rest against my neck.

"Yes, but you want the curtains on the walls for soundproofing, so you choose the color."

"If you don't want the curtains, then we won't have them," he concluded, leaning in to kiss me again but I pulled back.

"No, I don't mind the curtains – but don't you want any say at all?" It was just like the argument we had had all those days ago, on Isle Esme. "It's your room – _too_ ," I added when he shot me a look.

"I've told you before, Bella, whatever you want is what I want." His fingers moved to brush along my collarbones and I knew he was only trying to distract me.

"You honestly don't want _any_ say," I stated, disbelievingly. Edward was so very opinionated on all other things. It seemed unlikely he would give over so much control on this issue. He only shrugged, leaning in to press his lips to the skin just below my ear. He dragged his lips up towards my jaw and then stopped to whisper in my ear, "The only thing I want is you…and a bed." With that, he kissed down my neck open-mouthed and my head fell back, my eyes rolling into my head.

 _Esme._

"Okay, okay," I conceded breathlessly and he pulled away, grinning down at me. He always knew exactly how to get what he wanted. Although, in this case, what _he_ wanted was to ensure that I got what _I_ wanted, so I wasn't sure if I could be angry with him for that.

"I'll pick the colors," I mumbled moving back towards the door. Edward was before me in a second, standing in front of the exit.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his lips turned down in a slight pout.

"I have to go help Esme and Alice," I answered, shaking the book once. _He_ wouldn't help, so _I_ had to.

His brow creased as he stood still, not moving from the door. "But I miss you," he complained. I smiled and moved up to my tip toes to press my lips to his. "I miss you, too," I whispered. "We'll be done in a little while," I said quickly, reaching around him to fly from the room before he could do anything to keep me inside. He _could_ and he _would_. All he would need to do was kiss me and I was a goner.

"Okay," I sighed, opening the book on the table and pointing to a dark golden color for the curtains – the color of Edward's eyes. Well, the color of _all_ our eyes.

"Any luck?" Esme asked, smiling in amusement.

"Nope," I said, smiling back.

"Come over here," Edward murmured one afternoon. Everyone else had gone hunting, leaving Edward and I on our own in the house. I loved them all dearly – they were my brothers and sisters, my parents, but to be able to spend time with Edward on our own was magnificent. We hadn't been so alone since before Italy. I followed where he was motioning, stepping up from the ledge in the living room onto the large platform where he was standing beside his piano. He had yet to play it since we had been back, but the glint in his golden eyes told me that was exactly what was going to be happening.

"Are you going to play?" I asked excitedly. He smiled and held his arms out to me. I ran into them, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head on his chest. I loved him so much… It seemed the bond between us only grew stronger as each day went by.

"I told you I'd play for you, didn't I?" he said, running his nose down from my temple to the corner of my jaw. I smiled, turning my head and capturing his mouth with my own.

"You did," I agreed. All those weeks ago… It seemed everything we had spoken of – the possible future – was slowly being realized. And we would have all of eternity to make up for any lost time.

His hands moved down along my arms, his thumbs brushing over the scars within the creases of my elbows. He kissed them often; each scar. They were cooler than the rest of my body. He grasped my hands in his, pulling me to the bench. He sat down and I sat beside him.

"Come closer," he said, but wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer himself. I thought he would need ample space to play, but apparently not.

"Tell me what you think," he whispered before his fingers moved along the ivory and ebony keys at a speed much too fast for a human to muster. The notes intertwined and danced beautifully through the air as I watched his fingers move elegantly. I glanced up and he was watching me, his eyes light, but intense as he played.

"Do you like it?" he asked and I could hardly catch my breath to answer.

"It's beautiful," I mumbled, my voice slightly strained. He smiled and bent to press his lips to my hair before turning back to the keys at hand.

"You've inspired this one," he said, his velvet voice flowing perfectly with the notes. I bit my lip, watching his fingers once more. Words could not describe how I felt, watching the love of my life play a song that he had constructed for _me_. I could practically hear the story the song told – the run, the attraction, the love, the panic, the horror, finally twirling back into the passion and love and eternal connection. It ended smoothly, sensually, on a high note that showed the song was not quite finished, but would never be – we had eternity. There was no _end_ for us.

I turned as soon as he removed his hands, throwing my arms around his neck. He laughed and held me to him, moving me so that he held me over his lap. I turned, seeking out his lips and he kissed me passionately, the song still playing silently through my mind.

"Thank you," I finally whispered, "It was absolutely beautiful. Like you."

"I love you," he murmured, his lips brushing against mine with each syllable.

"I love you, too, Edward. Forever," I breathed.

I laid across Edward's chest, naked, my head nestled against his chest, the comforter pulled up over us.

"Only once," I reminded Edward quickly, glancing up at him. His golden eyes were slightly hooded and on me.

"Well, you'd have to do a four-year stint at least," he said, running his fingers through my hair. I dropped my head back to his chest with a groan.

"Why can't I just finish off the rest of junior year, move on to senior year, and call it quits? I'll have my diploma. That's all I want." School had been an ongoing conversation for the past two months. We had been in Forks for six months now, and Carlisle wanted us to begin high school. The Cullens were completely fine with the request – except me. I _loathed_ high school as a human. I could hardly remember my human days, but this is one thing I knew on a deep, personal level.

"Because it doesn't work that way," Edward said softly, his fingers moving to caress over the skin of my jaw. I tilted my head up higher to give him more space. I loved when he touched me – anywhere. "The human Bella is nonexistent in the school system, now. Vampire Bella is as much as a freshman," he made quotations around the term _freshman_ , "as the rest of us."

"Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper are starting as sophomores!" I complained, my eyes tracing the contours of his chest. The sight had my stomach clenching and I chose to close my eyes instead. It wouldn't do the argument any good if we got interrupted once more by our ever-growing need to be intimate.

"Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper all look somewhat older than us," he said, "They _are_ , physically, older than us." Emmett didn't even look as though he could pull _off_ a teenaged boy. "Besides, it fits better with the story if we are not all the same exact age."

"And what's the story?" I asked with a sigh.

"Alice, Emmett, and I are siblings, adopted by Carlisle and Esme as Cullens, and Jasper and Rosalie are twins from a separate foster situation, living with Carlisle and Esme as Hales."

"And where do I fit into this plan?" I pouted. Maybe I didn't fit in at all. Maybe it would give me an excuse to not go to high school…

"You are Esme's niece, of course."

It could, unfortunately, work. Esme and I had similar body shapes and hair color. And now eye color as well.

"Bella Swan?" I asked. I could hear Edward shaking his head against the pillow.

"The year is too close to your change. If there are people still looking for you, the name Bella Swan will ring some bells – too many bells. I'm sure you will be registered as Bella Platt."

I moved quickly, leaning up on my elbows to stare over at him. He looked unbelievably gorgeous, his bronze hair a heaping mess from my fingers pulling at it for the past hour or so. He looked at me down his nose, a completely content look to his features.

"Platt?" I asked. He nodded, "Esme's human last name." I had gathered that.

"Mr. and Mrs. Platt – you said it seemed fitting," I said quickly, remembering the small flight to Brazil just before we took the boat to the island. Edward smiled and then grasped the tops of my arms, dragging me up his body to press his lips to mine.

"Isle Esme – Esme Platt. It was a good choice in name on Jasper's behalf," he murmured against my lips before kissing me again. Oh, right – Jasper had been the one to set up the flight and consequent landing in Brazil. _He_ was the one who had worked with Jenks and the pilot. I wondered where the pilot was now…

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked and I glanced up to see the familiar crease in his brow. I smiled.

"The pilot. He must have been terrified when we disappeared after the flight."

"Oh. Yes, he was merely very confused. He was compensated, though, so I'm sure he doesn't mind the mystification."

I thought about that for a moment while I rested my head against Edward's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me so that we were lying side by side now, instead of chest to chest. He brushed a strand of hair out of my face and then leaned forward, pressing his lips to my forehead. He reached across me, grabbing something that was on the bed behind me.

 _Romeo and Juliet._

"You said you would read to me," he commented, quirking an eyebrow at me. I was nearly halfway through the book on my own. It was what I had been doing before Edward came up to find me once his family – _our family_ – had finished discussing the minor details of Forks High School.

"No," I stated slowly, " _You're_ the one who said I would read to you. Besides, the last time I read to you, you hardly paid attention." He had been too busy playing with my hair to even listen to the plot. He hadn't even known the main character's full name.

He chuckled, ducking his head to my shoulder. "I'll pay attention this time, I promise – well…" He trailed off, glancing back up at me, "That may be difficult seeing as we are both undressed."

I smiled, taking the book from his hand and pushing it to the other side of the large bed once more. I moved over him quickly, straddling him and bending so that my lips could brush against his.

"I'll read to you later," I amended, "Let's do something else first."

He growled at my words, his fingers moving to fist into my hair and pull my head down to him. I laughed, kissing him back, but the sounds quickly turned to moans.

I would never be able to have enough of Edward Cullen.

"It's quite easy once you get the hang of it," Edward said softly, moving my hand so that I held the steering wheel at a different angle, "It will become more second nature than anything."

I bit my lip, staring at the open road ahead of us. "What if I hit something?"

"We'll be fine. We won't be injured."

"Yes, but if I hit a human…" I trailed off and Edward rolled his eyes.

"Why do you think we are practicing at the first light of dawn?" he asked, glancing over at me. "Now, you'll never get anywhere if you don't turn on the car."

I hesitated, but finally turned the key in the ignition as he had showed me earlier. The car silently purred to life. I couldn't believe we were using his Volvo for this – he took this car _everywhere_. I could only imagine what would happen if I crashed it…

"What will we take to school if I wreck the car?" I asked, turning to glance at him, quirking an eyebrow. He shook his head with a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair.

"We'll either get another car or just use one of the other ten that we have in the garage. Really, Bella, it's not that big of a deal."

"Mike Newton would be happy, at least, if your car was ruined," I said and he exhaled with a growl at my taunt.

"Newton should be happy that his head is still attached to his shoulders."

"He's _nice_ – he's only infatuated with the looks," I reminded Edward. Mike had been like a puppy since we began school, attempting to follow me anywhere and everywhere. He walked me to the classes that Edward and I didn't share, though Edward had begun to make a point out of walking me to _those_ classes as well, much to Mike's chagrin.

"He's infatuated with everything about you, Bella. You should hear his thoughts – actually," he said quickly, thinking twice, "I'd rather you didn't."

I turned to glance at him, lifting my shoulder and leaning into the wheel with a smile.

"Are you jealous?" I asked teasingly. He scowled at me and then motioned towards the road.

"Foot off the break, Bella," he hissed. I bit my lip to hold in my smile. Although, even if he _was_ jealous, he had nothing to worry about. Mike meant next to nothing to me. Besides, Edward had a flock of girls after him at all times. Looking around at any time of the day, there were at least five watching him, and then another ten whispering about him.

"You know you have nothing to worry about," I stated quickly and his eyes flashed as he shot me his crooked grin. I stared, dazed.

"Oh, for the love of _god_ , Bella! Will you just drive already?" I huffed, glancing at Alice through the rearview mirror. "Enough about jealousy and measly humans – on to the driving lesson!"

I was beginning to regret asking Alice along. I had wanted to _ensure_ everything went smoothly; that I didn't accidentally maim a human with the car.

"Look," I said, still glaring at her from the rearview mirror, "I appreciate you agreeing to act as my personal psychic, but did you have to bring _him_?!" Alice turned to glance at Emmett sitting beside her, a large grin plastered over his amused face.

"Come on, Bells, we don't have forever," he laughed. Edward glanced over at me, moving his hand to rest against the back of my seat. His fingers danced through my hair and over the back of my neck.

"That's just it," he said in response to Emmett's comment, though he was still watching me with a smile, "We do have forever." His golden eyes twinkled and I grinned back at him, my chest overflowing with the love I held for this vampire.

Yes, we _do_ have forever.

 **Finally, after MONTHS of waiting! Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it and I hope the ending didn't disappoint too much d:**

 **The epilogue was really a bonus and I loved writing it!**


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